Foreign residents living in Saudi Arabia said that restrictions on the sale of alcohol have been further relaxed, just days after non-diplomats were first able to buy booze in the conservative kingdom.
Non-Muslim foreign residents earning at least 50,000 riyals a month ($13,300) are now able to purchase alcoholic beverages at the country’s sole liquor store in Riyadh, according to six people who spoke to AFP.
Late last month, premium visa-holders were able to buy booze in Riyadh, marking the first time residents who were not foreign diplomats were able to legally purchase alcohol at the store in the capital’s diplomatic quarter.
And then the rules were quietly eased again.
In recent days, individuals said they provided their residency documents to staff at the shop, who then checked their salary information using a Saudi platform, before selling them booze.
‘We were surprised and didn’t believe it at the beginning,’ one expatriate said after receiving messages from friends via Whatsapp about the eased restrictions.
‘We entered the store after checking and succeeded in buying alcohol,’ he added.
Another expat in Riyadh said she was also able to purchase alcohol in recent days.
‘People around us went crazy when they heard the news as if they haven’t tried alcohol before!’ she said.
AFP reached out to Saudi authorities for comment on the issue, but they did not respond by the time the story was published.
Started in 2019, premium resident status in Saudi Arabia is available to a select group of foreigners who meet a variety of requirements, including making a one-time payment of 8,00,000 riyals.
Since the rise to power of Saudi Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom has undergone steady changes in accordance with its plan to diversify the economy and attract tourists and international business.
Booze, however, remains a sticking point in the kingdom, the birthplace of Islam and home to two of its holiest cities.
The ban on alcohol in Saudi Arabia has been in effect since 1952 — a measure not uncommon in Muslim countries, where alcohol use is often restricted.
