Saudi Arabia has opened its first liquor store in over 70 years, marking a significant departure from its conservative traditions.
According to the Associated Press, the establishment in Riyadh, disclosed by an anonymous diplomat, is currently open to non-Muslim diplomats only.
Saudi Arabia Opens First Liquor Store
Sitting next to a supermarket in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter, the store's opening comes as Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman targets to make the kingdom a global tourism and business destination to reduce its reliance on crude oil.
The diplomat told AP that he walked through the store, which he described as similar to a duty-free shop in a major international airport, on Wednesday.
According to the diplomat, the store currently offers liquor, wine, and two types of beer, which can be bought after customers show their diplomatic identifications to the store workers.
Mobile phones must be secured in pouches while inside, and purchases can be made through a mobile app with an allotment system.
The opening coincides with a story run by Arab News about the new rules governing alcohol sales to diplomats to stop the "uncontrolled importing of these special goods and liquors," which took effect Monday.
Diplomats could import liquor into the kingdom for consumption on diplomatic grounds for years. However, the US State Department said others arrested for alcohol consumption faced penalties that included long jail sentences, heavy fines, public floggings, and deportation.
Drinking Liquor Is Forbidden in Saudi Arabia
Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia considered drinking alcohol as "haram," or forbidden. The kingdom, alongside its neighbors Kuwait and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, remains one of the few countries with a ban on alcohol.
This restriction was implemented in the early 1950s when former King Abdulaziz stopped alcohol sales after one of his sons became intoxicated and used a shotgun to kill British vice-consul Cyril Ousman in Jeddah.
Recent changes in Saudi Arabia include opening movie theaters, allowing women to drive, and hosting big music festivals. However, political speech and dissent are still prohibited and effectively criminalized, potentially with a penalty of death.
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