A British national who travelled to Saudi Arabia for a dream job has spoken of his experience at being propositioned by gay men in the deeply religious country.

Homosexuality and cross-dressing are illegal offences in Saudi Arabia and in some other Middle Eastern countries. The punishments can range from imprisonment to lashes.

Human Rights organisations have long campaigned for changes to the laws.

However, specific members of an elite group are able to get past strict rules and regulations.

Younis (not his real name) told Asian Image, “I was supposed to work in Riyadh for a year. I left after 6 weeks.

“I had received a lucrative job there. It was something I was pursing for a while.

“For my family, Saudi Arabia is the ultimate. It is the height of piety. They couldn’t have been happier that I had gotten a job out there. They were so proud.

“Work had put me up in a fancy hotel.

“Almost immediately I was made to feel uncomfortable. Every evening I was approached by various men. It was always men in their 50s.

“They would ask me if I wanted to go swimming with them, or if I wanted to go up to their room for a chat.

“I admit I was so naïve. I actually thought they wanted a ‘chat.’ Younis did not feel they would be looking for anything else. After all, it was a deeply religious Muslim country.

“The more I was approached, the more insidious it felt. These men are very persistent.”

He went on to confide in a colleague after being accosted numerous times.

“My colleague was really direct. He told me, ‘You can be gay pretty openly here. It’s the weirdest paradox. If you are seen with a woman, it’s blatantly contravening the law. But no-one blinks twice if you are having dinner with a man, or going into a hotel with a man. You’re an attractive man, you are fair skinned, you’re in your 20s- you’re a prime target.’ Saudi Arabia is a country that is renowned for its opulence as well as its stringent laws.

Sodomy is punishable by death. Furthermore, there is strict segregation of men and women. Women are only permitted outdoors with a male relative. And women must always remain covered when outdoors.

Younis continued, “These guys don’t think they are gay. In their minds, they are fulfilling a natural human need.

“It’s like prison culture, in that they have no choice but to have sex with other men. It’s just a physical act; it’s not about being ‘gay.’ “Before I left the UK, I was given a list of protocols: Never be rude to police, always carry ID. Embassy parties are where we were encouraged to go. That entails foreign soil. So everything is permitted there, alcohol, women.

“There was a waiter in the hotel from the Philippines, a very delicate looking guy, he could almost pass as being a girl. I noticed he had been getting a lot of attention. My colleague said this was guy was a regular ‘escort.’ Despite the promising job, his experience led to him to curtail his work in Riyadh.

“These people have unimaginable amounts of money. And they will pay generously to satiate a sexual desire.

“I was regularly harassed by men. I ended up becoming really reclusive, and just staying in my room outside of working hours.

“The irony is just too profound.

“I have never experienced anything like this in the UK. The level of hypocrisy is unbelievable.”

He said he couldn’t tell his family as he didn’t want to tarnish their image of Saudi Arabia.

“Even now I feel guilty talking about it. After all it’s the holiest Muslim country, and we shouldn’t really say anything negative about Saudi Arabia.”