Saudi authorities will imprison anyone found guilty of harassing women in shopping centres throughout the country, the Gulf News reported Saturday (April 21st).

The newspaper reported that first-time offenders will receive five days in prison, while repeat offenders will face 35 days in prison and other "appropriate" punishment issued by Saudi courts.

Attempts by men to acquire phone numbers of unrelated females or comment on their beauty is considered by Saudi authorities as sexual harassment, the newspaper said.

Last month, the governor of Riyadh relaxed curbs on single men entering shopping malls following complaints that they did not have enough to do in their spare time.