Legal alcohol will be sold in Saudi Arabia for the first time in 70 years. Saudi officials announced that this step was taken to prevent the sale of illegal alcohol within the country.
IT WAS BANNED AFTER THE MURDER IN 1952
Alcohol sales in the country were banned in 1952 after one of King Abdulaziz’s sons shot and killed a British diplomat while drunk. The store is expected to open within a few weeks, a news source told Reuters.
RESTRICTIONS ON LIQUOR SALES
There will be other restrictions on the store’s sales.
Some of them are as follows:
– Diplomats who want to buy alcohol will need to register and get approval from the Saudi government.
– No one under the age of 21 will be able to enter the store. It will be necessary to comply with the “decent dress code” to enter the store.
– Diplomats have to go to the shop in person, they will not be able to send their drivers and buy drinks.
– The amount of alcohol each person can purchase per month will be limited.
But according to AFP, the alcohol limit will not be too low.
Drinks worth 240 points can be sold to diplomats per month. One liter of spirits (whiskey, gin, etc.) will be worth six points, one liter of wine will be worth three points, and one liter of beer will be worth one point.
Accordingly, it is possible for a diplomat to purchase 40 liters of spirits or 80 liters of wine every month.
The sale of alcohol to foreigners who are not diplomats in the country is not on the agenda.
It is not possible for these people to buy alcohol legally.
Under current laws, those who drink or possess alcohol can be subject to penalties such as fines, imprisonment and public flogging.
LAST NAME OF CROWN PRINCE BIN SALMAN
This development is the final step of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to liberalize the country, called “Vision 2030”.