RIYADH – A woman in Saudi Arabia has been arrested after she ran on stageto hug a male singer during a concert, the media reported.

Singer Majid al-Mohandis was performing at a festival in the western cityof Taif on Friday when the woman darted on to the stage, the BBC reportedon Saturday. Women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to mix in public withmen who are unrelated to them.

The police arrested the woman and referred her to the public prosecution toface charges under the law criminalising harassment. “The suspect is heldat the Al-Taif Foundation for Women’s Care pending investigation,” theMecca police official spokesman said.

Videos posted online showed the woman holding on to Mohandis while securitystaff tried to pull her off him. Mohandis, whose website calls him “theprince of Arab singing”, has not commented on the incident.

The Iraqi-born singer, who also has Saudi citizenship, continued to performafter the incident.

Restrictions that had long been placed on women attending public events inthe Kingdom have been relaxed in the past year under a series of reforms byCrown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“Vision 2030”, unveiled last year, aims to increase household spending oncultural and entertainment activities in the oil-dependent kingdom from 2.9per cent to 6 per cent by 2030.

Saudi earlier allowed women to attend a concert and a football match forthe first time and the Kingdom also hosted its first concert by a femalesinger, Lebanese star Hiba Tawaji, in December. Women were also allowed todrive from last month.

But significant restrictions remain in place and women still have to adhereto strict dress codes. The unnamed women seen hugging Mohandis was wearinga naqab, a head dress that shows only the eyes.