As the new reforms on the legal system are yet to be implemented, I guess that some judges thought they would use whatever left of time for the current system to demonstrate their misjudgment and lack of intelligence. It was not enough for them to sentence the Qatif girl to 90 lashes a year ago, so they decided to more than double the number of lashes plus six months of jail. The girl is a rape victim, but apparently being raped is not enough to spare her the punishment for something called ‘khulwa’.
Now what kind of ‘khulwa’ that would take place in front of a crowded shopping mall is beyond my comprehension, but that’s just me. I’m pretty sure our esteemed judges and those who support this bizarre ruling have many justifications to present upon request, but then again, who on earth am I to question a court which uses the word ‘sharia’ to legitimize their decisions no matter how absurd these decisions are?
Some people have asked me why I have not written about this earlier, and the reason is because I was angry, disgusted and depressed. Those following me on Twitter have probably seen this, and although I have been discussing the issues with my family and friends who share the same feelings with me, I could not bring myself to write about it without using some kind of language that I’d rather not to use on the blog.
The victim’s lawyer Abdul Rahman Al Lahem has been suspended from the case and faces a disciplinary session because the judge thinks that Al Lahem was using the media to affect the court’s ruling. Now how can the media be used to affect the ruling is anyone’s guess, but why should the judge be affected by the media might be something we should be looking at, because as far as I have been told, our right honorable judges are very wise men who claim to base their verdicts on Qura and Sunna, not some blabbering in the media. Anyway, it is not the first time that Al Lahem faces a problem like this. He has been jailed before for defending reformists but he continued his work as Saudi Arabia’s most important human rights lawyer.
It is up to the appeal court now to confront this unjust ruling and finish the suffering of the girl and her husband who bravely stood up beside his wife. Otherwise, this case might require the interference of the king in order for justice and common sense to prevail. Let’s hope they will prevail in the end.
Related links:
Saudi Jeans 
Maybe the fact they base their judgments upon the Quran and the Sunna is because their judgments appear so “incomprehensible” for mere humans.
This is bullshit.
How the fuck are we still quiet about this crap?
Does the fact that she is a shi’a have an influence in the way the judge treated her? I suppose Saudi judges are all sunnis, isn’t it?
Probably. There are a few Shi’a judges but they are only allowed to deal with certain kind of cases.
I’m sure the next report from “Freedom House” will make an interesting read incorporating this incident…
American Bedu
Saudi Arabia’s days of prosperity are numbered.
Eventually America, and the rest of the world, will no longer use oil as their primary energy source. For both environmental, political, and financial reasons.
And thus Saudi Arabia will return to life as it was before the discovery of oil.
Your country will accomplish it’s goal of ending evil western influences and technology, and will return to a traditional lifestyle.
This will occur because of a lack of oil revenue.
I honestly wonder how Saudi Arabia will be able to feed itself, considering the population explosion that has occurred.
Death to oil! – http://www.oiljihad.org
Someone forget his meds today. I deleted his comment on my blog because it was promoting some concept car and I thought it was spam.
Interesting that this story has had very sparse coverage in the Arab press and indeed the Arab News were late in reporting it.
Could it have something to do with those hilarious signs posted on the bridges of Riyadh welcoming Opec delegates to ‘the Kingdom of Humanity’ ?
My thoughts are with the girl. (and her husband). No matter how, may this beastly verdict be averted and she can start her healing process…. :(
I couldn’t believe that her initial sentence was more than doubled.
I was wondering though – did the men actually get sentenced for rape or was it only for kidnapping? I’ve read conflicting reports – although I think that initially they were only charged with kidnapping and their sentences are now doubled as they are sentences for rape – but I’m not absolutely sure in the latter.
Ahmerd, you cannot convince us that the girl was sentenced because she was a rape victim. Our court system is not that simple, there are are two higher courts that approve or disapprove the rulling. You should tell the whole story to make people understand and not fool them! After all the girl was guilty of lying to the court about her going out with one of these guys on a date and that he invited his friends to rape her, and by the way the rapists were all Shi’a.
assalamu’alaikum
it sucks..justice will prevail in the end..everyone who’s been wronged will get justice..if not in this dunya, then definitely in the aakhirah.
btw- did you write abt fatima’s case? it’s so distressing..
Tabuk Knight, I did not say the girl was sentenced because she was raped, and I did not want to recap the whole story here as it is already available at the links in this post. Actually, I wonder if you have given enough attention to reading the story before posting your comment.
http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/23/stories/2007112355861700.htm
It’s getting noticed in India too…..
TO HELL WITH THE DAMN LAW SYSTEMS YOU DAMN TW@TS!!!! THINK OF THE GIRL AND HER HUSBAND, YOU BLOODY BEASTS!!!
JUST USING THE VEIL OF RELIGION FOR EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE….BLOODY COWARDS.
lak47,
it is about time you stop drinking!
I love it – the United States “freed” the “oppressed” Iraqis, yet sucks up to Saudi Arabia, a country where a rape victim is punished. I don’t care if she broke the law by getting into a car with a man (what a stupid, stupid, stupid law), she was raped.
(For the record, in light of the recent widespread defense of Roman Polanski happening here, I don’t think Americans are all that much more enlightened when it comes to rape).