King orders stop to printing of women pictures
published: Wednesday | May 17, 2006

ABDULLAH

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (AP):

King Abdullah has told Saudi editors to stop publishing pictures of women as they could make young men go astray, newspapers reported yesterday.

The king's directive, made in a meeting with local editors, caused surprise as the monarch has been regarded as a quiet reformer since he took office in the ultra-conservative country last August.

The king told editors on Monday night that publishing a woman's picture for the world to see was inappropriate.