this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2024

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115

Saudi Arabia opens its first-ever alcohol store — but it's only accessible to a select group (www.cnbc.com)

submitted 9 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

26 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Saudi Arabia has opened its first alcohol store in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh, two sources told CNBC.

The news, which has not been officially confirmed by the Saudi government, marks a major breakthrough for the highly conservative Muslim theocracy where alcohol has been banned since 1952.

According to a list of store rules seen by CNBC, the venue is only accessible to non-Muslim diplomats, and authorization must be validated through an app called Diplo.

No guests or people under the age of 21 are allowed to accompany authorized visitors to the store, photography is strictly prohibited and mobile phones need to be kept in secure “mobile pouches” so as not to be used while in the store. Purchases are also subject to a monthly quota system per registered individual.

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[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 21 points 9 months ago (1 children)

opened its first alcohol store in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh, two sources told CNBC.

I wonder if you also have to say you're non Muslim.

broader campaign to liberalize Saudi society and draw more international tourists and expats.

They added that one key objective is “to deal with the smuggling problem that we’ve always had with diplomats.” Foreign embassy staff, who are able to import alcohol to be kept on embassy premises, are known in Saudi Arabia to often import booze in large quantities and then sell it on the black market.

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 9 points 9 months ago

I wonder if you also have to say you’re non Muslim.

I am buying it for a guest, I promise!

[–] SpiceDealer@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

ABSOLUTELY HARAM!..... two shots of Don Julio Reposado please.

[–] Bluefalcon@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 9 months ago

Funny bc you can get alcohol easily in KSA, drugs too.

[–] deafboy@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Building a database of non-muslim diplomats does not seem like a breakthrough. I can't help myself but smell nazi everywhere I look lately.

[–] Deceptichum@kbin.social 30 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

You do know that diplomats are not people from the land of Diplomia right?

Like these are foreign government employees residing in your country, who have special government permission to work there in the first place.

It’s not an ethnic group to terrorise, you don’t want them there you say “hey you’re revoked gtfo”.

[–] SkyNTP@lemmy.ml 23 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Also, diplomats are already registered on a list. So this is all moot.

I'm guessing, lack of alcohol access really narrows the list of diplomats who actually want to work there. Concessions like this goes a long way to improving the talent pool of diplomats working there. It's just good foreign relations, and what country doesn't want that?

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Logging their habits is definitely not proper behaviour.

[–] Deceptichum@kbin.social 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Uh for a controlled substance? Yes it is.

I can’t buy weed in my country without it being put through a database. The only difference here is that the people allowed to buy the substance aren’t the citizens of the country.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Do you have an allotment assigned to you and recorded against your name? Also just because it happens to you doesn't mean it is right either.

[–] Deceptichum@kbin.social 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Yes, and yes. I think it was like 100g in 3 months or something, I hit it once but for some reason I can't remember exactly how much it was.

It's not right, but it's a slight step up from zero at all ever.

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

So we're in agreement that this shouldn't be the case then

[–] Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee 25 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Pretty sure any nation knows how many diplomats are in their country, take off the tinfoil hat.

[–] deafboy@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I'd love to, but it's comfy in the world where religious violence is the theme of the party.

While I probably overreacted I still wouldn't use this to get drunk if I were in their shoes.

[–] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

hey with SA it doesn't have to be religious - afaik nothing about Khashoggi's murder was related to religion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Jamal_Khashoggi

[–] otter@lemmy.ca 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I wonder what the mobile phones thing is about?

[–] GreatBlueHeron@lemmy.ca 11 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I assume enforcing the no photography rule?

[–] otter@lemmy.ca 5 points 9 months ago

Right yes

Would it be because they don't want posts on social media about it, or for the privacy of people buying it, etc.

[–] originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com 1 points 9 months ago

they dont want to accidentally get caught killing people on camera, again.

[–] Haagel@lemmings.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (4 children)

Last time I shared this I was downvoted to hell but I'll say it again because it's the truth:

My good friend in Saudi works for a firm that frequently works for the Prince. He claims that the Prince is trying to progress a more inclusive and tolerant culture in modern Saudi Arabia.

Obviously there's a ton of issues with the way they conduct government right now. But at least it's worth noting that there is talk of positive change. It has to start somewhere.

[–] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 16 points 9 months ago

this the same prince who had journalists chopped up?

people are strange...

[–] answersplease77@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

Off course he's saying that. You think a forigner working there is going to say the truth or criticize their government?? Do you know what they did to all their human right activists?

[–] jochem@lemmy.ml 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Peter Santinello is a guy on YouTube who does very genuine interviews with people from all walks of life. He has a short series in Saudi Arabia where he talks with all kinds of people, including women. They talk about how women driving became a thing and you can see how modern some cities are. Women are not even wearing a headscarf everywhere.

Definitely recommended to watch if you want to get a different view on the country than the perspective you get from most western media.

[–] girlfreddy@lemmy.ca 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

MBS still murdered Khashoggi on foreign soil tho.

No amount of positive media will erase that.

[–] jochem@lemmy.ml -1 points 9 months ago

And Obama murdered hundreds of civilians with drones, yet we're still able to acknowledge the freedoms that American people have.

[–] spongebue@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

MBS is a piece of shit, but he also knows he can't isolate your average person from the rest of the world, and that people will want some of the things we have. Your average person can see that the rest of the world has movie theaters, and they want that. They can see that the rest of the world has women driving, and they'll want that too. Alcohol? At least this gives the optics, even if it's still inaccessible to most.

Even a piece of shit knows when they have to loosen the leash a little, especially when it doesn't really affect the piece of shit. If they don't, it's a matter of time before it comes back to haunt them.