DUSHANBE, 30.03.2018. / NIAT “Khovar”/. Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, said that his country was not real for the past 40 years. He also announced large-scale changes in the situation of Saudi women.

Recently, during a visit to the United States, he gave an interview to the American television network CBS. He was asked whether he considers the Saudi Arabia of last 40 years real.
“Absolutely not. This is not the real Saudi Arabia. I would ask your viewers to use their smartphones to find out. And they can Google Saudi Arabia in the 70s and 60s, and they will see the real Saudi Arabia easily in the pictures. We were living a very normal life, like the rest of the Gulf countries. Women were driving cars. There were movie theaters in Saudi Arabia. Women worked everywhere”, — he said.

According to him, then in Saudi Arabia lived “normal people”.

He added that Saudi women will soon be given new rights, making it easier for them to start a business, attend various events. In June, they will be able to get behind the wheel and drive.

“Absolutely. We are all human beings, and there is no difference between men and women”, — he stated.

He also noted that women in Saudi Arabia will be able to choose what clothes to wear.

Last year, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia announced that the authorities are going to lead the country to a moderate, open to the world of Islam.

We will recall that currently Saudi Arabia is a theocratic monarchy, based on Sunni Islam. The authorities of the country allow people of other faiths to enter the country, but prohibit them to worship. There is a religious police in the country — soldiers of the Shariah Guard constantly patrol the streets and public institutions, monitoring the observance of the canons of Islam.

Numerous prohibitions for women in Saudi Arabia are also based on Sharia law. So, until recently they were forbidden to participate in elections, engage in politics (the norm was abolished since December 2015). Only in June 2018, women will be given a driver’s license — until now they were forbidden to drive a car.

Also, women could not move on their own without accompanying a husband/relative, use public buses, communicate with a man, who is not her husband/relative.

Women are obliged to wear black abayas, and in some regions — to leave only the eyes open. A woman, legally, receives the inheritance in two times less, than a man, when her child reaches the age of seven, the rights to him unconditionally belong to the father/grandfather.

We will recall that the 33-year-old son of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on October 2017 made an unexpected statement in Riyadh. Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, taking part in the forum “Future Investment Initiative” in the capital of the Kingdom, assured the audience that Saudi Arabia “will return to moderate Islam, which is open to all religions”. It was then broadcast by Al Jazeera TV channel. He became Crown Prince in June of last year.