Appropriate action has been taken against the Haia members who were involved in beating up a girl opposite the Nakheel shopping mall here recently, but the girl was also at fault, a Haia official has clarified.

“A probe has revealed that the girl had committed an irregularity, which necessitated here questioning. However, the Haia men did not follow the regulations while handling the case,” Mohammed Al-Sibr, the spokesman of Haia, was quoted as saying by local media on Wednesday.

A video of the girl being beaten up by members of Haia (Commission of the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice) sparked a furor on social media.

Al-Sibr said that Haia would like to stress that it is committed to Shariah teachings and applicable systems in all its procedures and, at the same time, does not accept any prejudice over the rights of the accused which are guaranteed by the Shariah.

“Haia also does not accept any offense against its employees and would take necessary action in case it happens,” he warned.

A friend of the girl who was beaten up by Haia members gave some details about the incident to local media and described the incident as “grave injustice from Haia men.”

The girl, who managed to escape into the mall, said she was walking with her friend — the girl who was beaten up — near the mall looking for a taxi when they were stopped by the Haia patrol. “They asked us to cover our faces, but we initially refused to do so. However, when one of the Haia members stepped down from the car, we covered our faces,” she said.

The girl said one of the Haia members asked them whether they were employees or students and ordered them to get into the car. “We refused to get into the car until our relatives were called. But the Haia members tried to drag us into the car, and I managed to escape into the mall, whereas my friend fled toward the main road,” she said.

“My friend was released by the Haia members and arrived home in a mini-bus in a bad psychological condition.”

Haia members took her personal bag and other items, but could not take the mobile phone, she added.

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