Saudis sentence Australian man to 500 lashes for blasphemy and 1 year prison term

[웃 910]

Saudis sentence Australian man to 500 lashes for blasphemy

THE family of an Australian man sentenced to 500 lashes and a year in jail in Saudi Arabia fears he will not survive the punishment.

Mansor Almaribe, from the Victorian town of Shepparton, was yesterday found guilty of blasphemy by a Saudi Arabian court.

The 45-year-old father of five was arrested in the city of Medina on November 14 while making the hajj pilgrimage and accused of insulting companions of the prophet Mohammed.

It's reported he was reading and praying in a group when accosted by religious police and arrested.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the Australian ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Neil Hawkins, had been in touch with authorities to plead for leniency.

"The Australian ambassador has been in touch with Saudi authorities after a 45-year-old Australian man was sentenced by a court in Saudi Arabia to one year in jail and 500 lashes," a DFAT spokeswoman said.

The ambassador would "urgently pursue avenues for leniency with relevant authorities".

A consular official attended the sentencing, at which Mr Almaribe was initially given a two-year jail term, subsequently reduced.

One of the man's sons, Mohammed, told the ABC his father had serious health problems.

"Five hundred slashes on his back and he has back problems. I wouldn't think he'd survive 50," he said.

Saudi Arabia enforces a strict form of Sharia or Islamic law and the dominant form of Islam in the country is Wahhabism, an ultra-conservative strand of Sunni Islam.

Mr Almaribe is a constituent of Liberal MP Sharman Stone, who has called on Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to intervene, "even perhaps to remove the sentence all together if that can be achieved", she said.





^ The family of Mansor Almaribe, who is facing a year in jail and 500 lashes in Saudi Arabia. Picture are Mohammad, 16, Jamal, 24, Wafaa, Isaam, 21, and Wally, 2. Picture: Fiona Hamilton Source: Herald Sun

http://www.theaustra...j-1226216008331

Edited December 9, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[slim 1,530]

And our government supports that regime.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Saudis sentence Australian man to 500 lashes for blasphemy

THE family of an Australian man sentenced to 500 lashes and a year in jail in Saudi Arabia fears he will not survive the punishment.

Mansor Almaribe, from the Victorian town of Shepparton, was yesterday found guilty of blasphemy by a Saudi Arabian court.

The 45-year-old father of five was arrested in the city of Medina on November 14 while making the hajj pilgrimage and accused of insulting companions of the prophet Mohammed.

It's reported he was reading and praying in a group when accosted by religious police and arrested.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the Australian ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Neil Hawkins, had been in touch with authorities to plead for leniency.

"The Australian ambassador has been in touch with Saudi authorities after a 45-year-old Australian man was sentenced by a court in Saudi Arabia to one year in jail and 500 lashes," a DFAT spokeswoman said.

The ambassador would "urgently pursue avenues for leniency with relevant authorities".

A consular official attended the sentencing, at which Mr Almaribe was initially given a two-year jail term, subsequently reduced.

One of the man's sons, Mohammed, told the ABC his father had serious health problems.

"Five hundred slashes on his back and he has back problems. I wouldn't think he'd survive 50," he said.

Saudi Arabia enforces a strict form of Sharia or Islamic law and the dominant form of Islam in the country is Wahhabism, an ultra-conservative strand of Sunni Islam.

Mr Almaribe is a constituent of Liberal MP Sharman Stone, who has called on Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to intervene, "even perhaps to remove the sentence all together if that can be achieved", she said.





^ The family of Mansor Almaribe, who is facing a year in jail and 500 lashes in Saudi Arabia. Picture are Mohammad, 16, Jamal, 24, Wafaa, Isaam, 21, and Wally, 2. Picture: Fiona Hamilton Source: Herald Sun

http://www.theaustra...j-1226216008331

The guy doesn't look very Australian. btw who goes to Saudi Arabia ?

[slim 1,530]

The guy doesn't look very Australian. btw who goes to Saudi Arabia ?

Every Muslim in the world.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Every Muslim in the world.

Hopefully he didn't have a chance to complete is "Terrorism 101" while he was there.

[slim 1,530]

Hopefully he didn't have a chance to complete is "Terrorism 101" while he was there.

Not likely since he was there for the hajj.

[mawilson 2,133]

Not likely since he was there for the hajj.

He was there for just one hajj, and he's getting 499 free.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

He was there for just one hajj, and he's getting 499 free.

[Misha & Ira 113]

I wonder if LI realizes how lucky he is that God did not cause him to be born there?

Edited December 9, 2011 by Misha & Ira

[slim 1,530]

Brings up an interesting scenario. What if one of our brown guys (whose wife wears a hijab) gets taken into custody over there. Are we going to "let him get what he deserves" or are we going to do our best to diplomatically press for his release?

How about an extraction?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Brings up an interesting scenario. What if one of our brown guys (whose wife wears a hijab) gets taken into custody over there. Are we going to "let him get what he deserves" or are we going to do our best to diplomatically press for his release?

How about an extraction?

It's like those same idiots that went hiking along the Iraq/Iran border. It's natures way of thinning out the herd.

[Ban Hammer 13,508]

they better be glad it's not booyah, he'd kick their butts for even thinking of lashing him.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

The guy doesn't look very Australian. btw who goes to Saudi Arabia ?

I've been there several times. It's a great place to shop. Saudis are world class shoppers. They just built the largest mall in Africa on the shores of Casablanca, Morocco. I'm going there this weekend. Can't wait!

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I've been there several times. It's a great place to shop. Saudis are world class shoppers. They just built the largest mall in Africa on the shores of Casablanca, Morocco. I'm going there this weekend. Can't wait!

Just remember not to blaspheme while you're there! Bon voyage!

[slim 1,530]

they better be glad it's not booyah, he'd kick their butts for even thinking of lashing him.

Booyah would never leave Au... oh. Wait a minute. Nevermind.

I've been there several times. It's a great place to shop.

I've been there several times too. It's nowhere I'd visit for fun. I see you're talking about shopping at a Saudi mall in Morocco. Not in Saudi. Very important to note.

The man in the story visited for religious reasons. Should we not protect our citizens who are engaging in religious pilgrimages? The man is being punished for something that doesn't exist in Australia (nor the US) yet what I hear from the crowd is, basically, he shouldn't have been in Saudi Arabia.

What happens when some of you visit Jerusalem?