Saudi Arabia breaks rules, opens liquor store in Riyadh for the first time?

In addition, another document obtained by Reuters related to this issue also outlines the process of buying alcohol in Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, customers will have to register via a mobile app, receive a clearance code from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and comply with monthly quotas when purchasing.

The move is a major milestone in Saudi Arabia's efforts to "open up" the country, which has strict controls on tourism and business because Islam forbids its adherents from drinking alcohol.

Drinking alcohol is forbidden in Islam.

It is also part of Saudi Arabia's broader plan, known as Vision 2030, to build a post-oil economy.

The document said the new store would be located in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter, where embassies and diplomats reside, and would be "strictly restricted" to non-Muslims.

It is unclear whether other non-Muslim foreigners will be allowed into the store. Millions of foreigners live in Saudi Arabia, but most of them are Muslim workers from Asia and Egypt.

A source familiar with the plans said the store is expected to open in the coming weeks.

Saudi Arabia has strict laws on drinking alcohol. Violations can result in hundreds of lashes, deportation, fines or imprisonment, while foreigners also face deportation. As part of the reforms, flogging has largely been replaced with prison sentences.

The Saudi Arabian government has not commented on this information.

State media reported this week that the government is imposing new restrictions on wine imports in diplomatic shipments, which could boost demand for the new store.

Alcohol in Saudi Arabia is only available through diplomatic channels or on the black market. The new regulation will limit imports to combat “improper exchange of special goods and alcoholic beverages received by embassies of non-Muslim countries in Saudi Arabia,” Arab News reported on January 21.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia, a relatively closed country for decades, has relaxed social norms. These include segregating men and women in public places and requiring women to wear a full-body black robe, known as an abaya.

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