Haia officials win damages in settlement of libel suit

Two officials from the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) settled out of court a dispute with seven Saudi Arabian Airlines officials who they accused of slandering them. The preliminary court in Jeddah said the two Haia officials were innocent of accusations that they had stormed into the Saudia employees’ office and attacked them. Subsequently, the Haia officials filed a counter petition seeking damages. According to the settlement, the Saudia employees will pay a compensation of SR100,000. They will also tender a formal apology. In return, the Haia officials will drop the lawsuit. The settlement was brokered after the efforts of court chief Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Salama, according to a report in Al-Madinah Arabic daily. Sheikh Ibrahim successfully brokered a settlement between the two parties during the last court hearings. The Saudia officials filed a complaint against the Haia officials claiming they had raided their office and attacked them. The pair was taken into custody by police and detained for 54 hours until they were questioned. It was revealed in the investigation that the two were innocent of the accusations against them. The two Haia officials were to meet with the director of the ticket sales division at the Saudia branch office in Jeddah, but he was not available. Subsequently, the officials prepared a written note admonishing the director for implementing seating arrangements where women employees were seated in between men employees at the office. It was then handed over to the official in charge at the time.