Haia officials accused of assaulting man

A Saudi man has accused members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) of beating him up, resulting in a broken nose and jaw, and several bruises to his face.
Haia Chairman Abdullatif Al-Asheikh has reportedly launched an investigation into the incident. Pictures of the bloodied and battered man in hospital have been posted on social networking sites.
The victim’s brother was quoted as saying in a local publication that Haia members had stopped him at Othaim Mall in Naseem District in the eastern part of Riyadh.
They had asked for his identity card, but when he said that he did not have it with him, the Haia members took him to one of their offices. At the office, they asked him for the personal identity number of his mobile phone, but he refused to comply, the brother said.
An argument then ensued between the young man and one Haia member who left the room and locked the door behind him.
A few minutes later, the Haia member returned with four other members and they began beating him until he passed out, his brother alleged.
The young man was taken to Prince Muhammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital in Riyadh where medical tests showed he had bruises to his face and a broken nose and jaw.
There has been widespread condemnation of the Haia members on the Internet. Haia spokesman Turki Al-Shilail has confirmed an investigation is under way.
The incident comes less than a month after the Haia confirmed that three of its members had broken regulations by forcing 21 female students to get off a bus.
The Haia had sanctioned the members.