Saudi Arabia closes dozens of music lounges

The Saudi Arabian authorities have recently ordered the closure of more than twenty music lounge in Riyadh and Jeddah. These spaces, which have become popular in recent years, have offered live appearances, shisha, mixed gender spaces and affordable entrance. They symbolize the rapidly social transformation that takes place under the kingdom’s modernization agenda.

Employees explained the closures by reporting violations of public health and hygiene codes. Inspectors reported violations severe enough to justify the immediate shutdown. However, many observers believe that repression reflects increasing pressure from the conservatives you are worried about at the rate of reforms. The lounges have been criticized for encouraging non -relative men and women to mix, host live music and promote a more liberal social environment that some consider to be incompatible with the traditions of Saudi Arabia.

The rise of such spaces highlights the wider cultural opening under Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Since 2016, gender mixing restrictions have been relaxed, religious police have been removed from much of their power and launching large -scale entertainment projects such as Riyadh Avenue. These changes have created opportunities for younger Saudi and mid -income families to enjoy new forms of social life.

The music lounges, in particular, gained popularity to be accessible. Input fees, usually about 80 riyals or US $ 21, often included shisha and non -alcoholic beverages. Many have offered reduced or free access to women and couples, making them particularly attractive compared to expensive concerts and festivals. For a part of the population, they represented a rare accessible escape to the enlarged entertainment scene.

But their popularity also fueled reactions. In a viral video, a conservative singer in Riyadh complained about the lounges that open up to family homes, mourning gender involvement and claiming his repeated appeals to police and municipal authorities. His complaints have reacted with others who are afraid that traditional values ​​are corroded.

The state’s response seems to have two objectives: maintaining its modernization, while it contains conservative criticism. A new interior ministry unit has been tasked with monitoring immoral acts, including prostitution and begging. Some see this as partial revival of the old religious police, even under a different pretext.

The closures emphasize the fragile balance in Saudi Arabia’s social reforms. Demand for more relaxed spaces without exclusion is evident, but resistance remains strong. The government’s approach suggests that the reforms will continue, but with careful boundaries designed to avoid alienation of the conservative base of the kingdom.