The woman is asking her husband for help to save her from the clutches of one of the Haia members.
At the same time, the husband is struggling to disentangle himself from the other Haia member who is tightening his grip on the man’s neck.
I don’t know if the cartoonist was alluding to a recent media report about two Haia men from the Suleimaniah branch attacking a Saudi couple who were dining in a restaurant.
The two members, according to the Saudi man Thamir Al-Saif’s version, approached him and demanded that he show his identity papers and family card.
After checking the documents, the two officials began asking questions such as where he was from, where he lived and why he had come to the restaurant. Another member, from behind a curtain asked similar questions to the woman. Even after it was manifestly evident that the couple were legally married, the Haia continued behaving in a menacing manner, which prompted the couple to leave the restaurant.
The members followed them, the newspaper report said.
The power of such a cartoon lies in its use of exaggeration in order to make a point. However, if Thamir’s experience is true, the technique of exaggeration used by Marzouk has not gone too far, especially given the fact that men accompanied by their wives in the streets are unfairly insulted and hounded by Haia officials.
The Haia members do this in spite of strict orders that they should not act based on suspicion and should ascertain facts discreetly, should not interrogate women and certainly should not be alone with women.
A cartoon — which is a picture — can be stronger in conveying a message than dozens of words or articles.
All the articles written about the Haia have failed to make any impact on the Haia officials in their obstinacy to portray themselves in the worst possible manner.
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