Saudi resort shut down after hosting mixed-gender concert

Last week, authorities in Saudi Arabia's Jazan Governorate ordered the immediate closure of a resort that hosted a licensed concert attended by both men and women, Sabq news site reported. 

This came just hours after a now-viral video from the event sparked outrage on social media in the ultra-conservative kingdom. 

The footage was first posted on December 23 and is still making the rounds online. 

Speaking to Sabq, a few attendees who left the event early after they realized it wasn't family-oriented but rather a mixed concert, said they heard of it via the Twitter account of Jazan's Tourism Authority.

"Is it possible that this is happening in Saudi?"

"Who told them music means development! Who told them musical performances and attending mixed events means we're moving forward or getting better! Things that are haram (unacceptable in Islam) will never be considered advancement."

In his statement on the matter, the official spokesman for authorities in Jazan, Ali Bin Moussa Za'la, explained that the event was licensed by Saudi's Tourism Authority. 

"We're not 100 percent sure of the event's details and we're currently investigating the incident. However, I believe the event was organized and licensed by an official Tourism Authority," he said. 

While Za'la confirmed that an authority had organized the performance, he also noted that violations did occur at the event, leading Jazan's governor to take immediate action on the matter. 

"The Prince of Jazan issued direct orders in the wake of the incident. These include, investigating the entire event and holding anyone who committed violations accountable for them. He also ordered the closure of the resort and issued a temporary ban on entertainment events in the region," he added.

"Thank God, the resort has now been shut down." 

"Where's the promiscuity in this?! I only saw families and people sitting next to each other, not violating any law. What's wrong with the person who shot and shared this footage?! He attended the event and then suddenly turned against it!!"

"OK, you banned such events and punished those who organized them, we didn't say anything. But why shut down the resort? If you close every place where a violation occurs, where will people go to relax and find entertainment?"

"People in the footage were dressed modestly if you didn't notice!!! Where's the problem if there were songs and shisha, that doesn't give anyone an excuse to shut the place down. Those who don't want to attend such events should stay at home and let people live the way they want. You're depriving people their right to live."