Video: Wearing sleepwear, night thobes in public? You could get fined in Saudi

Khaleej Times

13-07-2025

A video clip shared by Saudi Arabia's Qassim Region Police shows a man being confronted by authorities for walking around in public while wearing a night thobe — a type of sleepwear typically worn by men inside their homes.
While the garment may appear modest to those unfamiliar with Saudi dress culture, wearing it in public is considered inappropriate and a violation of the Kingdom's public decency laws, which prohibit attire deemed unfit for public spaces.
The violation is outlined under Article 4 of the Public Decency Regulations, which states: "No person shall appear in a public place wearing indecent clothing or clothing which bear images, shapes, signs, or phrases that violate public decency."
Article 8, Section 1 of the same regulations further stipulates that violators may face fines of up to 5,000 riyals (Dh4,800), with penalties doubled for repeat offenses within a year.
In areas like Khobar, residents say they can be fined 100 riyals if seen wearing a night thobe in public spaces.
The footage is part of a broader video released by the Kingdom's Ministry of Interior, highlighting several enforcement actions carried out across the region.
Watch the video below as shared by Ministry of Interior:
In another clip, officers are seen conducting a thorough search of a vehicle, where they discovered illegal drugs concealed in multiple parts of the car. In the footage, officers are seen inspecting the car's seats and checking beneath the vehicle, ultimately recovering packets of drugs hidden in several locations.
The third clip shows an individual caught begging from outside a car while it was stopped at a traffic signal. Begging in public places, including such incidents at traffic signals, is prohibited under Saudi Arabia's Anti-Begging Law, which enforces strict penalties for both individuals and organised networks involved in these activities.
Under the Anti-Begging Law, individuals who beg, manage a network of beggars, or assist others in begging can face imprisonment for up to six months and/or fines reaching 50,000 riyals (Dh48,000).
Organised begging networks are subject to even harsher penalties, including imprisonment of up to one year and fines of up to 100,000 riyals (Dh97,000). For non-Saudi beggars, deportation is mandatory after serving their sentence and paying the fine, with a ban from returning to the Kingdom, except for pilgrimage purposes.