However, some were absolutely appalled by the arrests
واضح ان الموضوع مو تشبيه .. الموضوع غريزة فيهم وعلاجها مو بالقبض عليهم
— Mohamed Di shazli (@DiShazli) June 6, 2018
رأي خاص
"It's clear that this isn't only about cross-dressing... it's about identity, and arresting these human beings is certainly not the right way to help them."
And felt they were uncalled for
#القبض_علي_المتشبهين_بالنساء
— عبدالرحمن. (@iidhm_20) June 6, 2018
الى متى يا وطني؟
الى متى تقبض وتسجن ناس ما سووا جريمة فعلية؟
تزدحم سجوننا عالفاضي وتكلف الدولة فلوس، اشوف ان الدولة المفروض تركز على الجرائم الحقيقية مثل السرقة والاختطاف والإرهاب وتخلي الجرائم اللي المفروض ماهي جرائم هذي.
"Until when, my nation? Until when will you arrest and jail people who didn't commit an actual crime? Our prisons are overcrowded for nothing and cost our government a fortune. I think authorities must focus on real crimes, including theft, kidnapping, and terrorism and not on these acts which aren't really crimes in the first place."
"I don't think they did anything wrong, it's their personal freedom"
ماشوفهم سوو شي حرية شخصيه
— نــورة (@Norah44e) June 6, 2018
"A subject that must be added to school curriculums: 'It's none of my business'"
#القبض_علي_المتشبهين_بالنساء
— ln (@bangbangrt) June 6, 2018
مادة ضروري تدخل بالمناهج .. pic.twitter.com/TroLKWyI5d
"Reading posts on this hashtag convinces you that our population is regressive"
شوف الهمج في الهاشتاق يخليك تقتنع ان هالشعب متخلف ورجعي ومستحيل يتقبل الطرف الاخر #القبض_على_المتشبهين_بالنساء
— قوقاع (@FHB_52) June 6, 2018
And can never accept those who are different."
Not the first time a cross-dresser is arrested in Saudi
Saudi Arabia: Drop ‘Cross-Dressing’ Charges http://tinyurl.com/mo4pbg
— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) June 24, 2009
This certainly isn't the first time authorities crack down on cross-dressers in the kingdom.
In 2017, human rights activists from around the world reported the murder of two transgender Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia. At the time, many said the men had also been attacked for cross-dressing.
In 2016, the kingdom's police arrested a social media celebrity after accusing and charging him of cross-dressing online.
In 2009, Human Rights Watch condemned the kingdom's officials for arresting 67 men after they were accused of wearing women's clothes.
In their report on the matter, HRW said the move violated "basic human rights to privacy and freedom of expression," and also called on the kingdom's officials to immediately drop the charges against those detained.
In a statement issued on the matter at the time, Rasha Moumneh, researcher in the MENA division of HRW said:
"If the police in Saudi Arabia can arrest people simply because they don't like their clothes, no one is safe."
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