Members from the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) arrested two young men after a long car chase in Riyadh early Saturday morning.
Top Haia officials had previously denounced the practice of chasing suspects on the roads, saying it endangers public safety.
Muhammad Al-Shoraimi, assistant spokesman of the Haia branch in Riyadh, said that a Haia team had arrested two drunken youths fleeing in their car on Olaya Road.
The spokesman explained that the Haia car had rammed into the suspect’s car in an attempt to force the youths to stop the car. Haia officials handed over the two, who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, to local police. The suspects were also in possession of drugs, the official added.
According to eyewitnesses, Haia members driving a field car were seen pursuing a civilian vehicle at high speed in pre-dawn hours on a highway in Riyadh. The Haia members called on the youth through a loudspeaker urging them to pull over. The eyewitness added that when the youths did not comply with the instructions, the Haia official rammed his car into the youths' vehicle.
Haia members have faced mounting criticism for chasing suspects, due to instances that have led to life-threatening accidents. In an earlier occasion, the Haia chief ordered its members to end the practice of chasing suspects, stressing that field vehicles are electronically linked to the headquarter office in order to detect members who evaded the directives issued by the head of the organization.
The detection system called ‘Tatabu’ has been implemented in the Eastern Province, Tabuk and Riyadh.
In a bid to improve its public image, Haia members have been increasingly participating in various training programs to deal with the public with greater discretion.
Haia chief Sheikh Abdul Latif Al-Asheikh recently said that only three violation cases have been reported against Haia officials this year. He also decried the practice of blaming the entire organization for the excesses of a few individuals.
Haia chases, rams into suspects’ car
