Sheikh Ahmed Qasim Al-Ghamdi

As Saudi Arabia marks the first anniversary of curbs placed on the religious police, people are taking to social media in an unprecedented way to criticize their previous behavior, stating they are better off without them.

This week Saudi-based social media users celebrated the anniversary of the government’s decision to limit the authority of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice or the religious police with a mixture of sarcasm, humor and serious discussion about the enforcement role of the religious establishment.

The commission’s former president of the Makkah branch, Ahmed Qasim Al-Ghamdi, is optimistic about Saudi society.

“Many people anticipated that society would plunge into moral corruption if the religious police didn’t resume its work,” Al-Ghamdi told Arab News.

“This is not only an exaggeration, but a questioning of Saudi society’s religion and ethics. The reality proves the opposite.”

Social medial user Amro bin Talal was more direct in his evaluation of society without the moral police.

“They filled the world with their screams that illegitimate children will fill the roads and that the streets will be ruled by the drug mafias… none of that happened,” he tweeted.

Another Twitter user simply wrote: “Happy anniversary.”

Hammad Al-Shammari wrote: “One year of tranquility and peace after years of tragedy, action and domination.”

The Cabinet a year ago passed regulations banning the religious police from questioning, asking for identification, pursuing, arresting or detaining anyone suspected of a crime. Those responsibilities now fall on police and anti-narcotics officers.

“The religious police hasn’t been banned but reorganized. Only its work is controlled,” Saudi blogger Hussein bin Bani told Arab News.

“The aftermath of this decision proved that Saudi society is living many illusions. The religious police is a prime example.”