Saudi Arabia to Punish Survivor of Gang Rape with 200 Lashes and Prison Term

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

The 19-year-old Shiite woman was originally sentenced to receive 90 lashes for "being in the car of an unrelated male at the time of the rape," but after the woman had the unmitigated temerity of not unquestioningly submitting to being tortured as punishment for "getting herself raped," judges on Saudi Arabia's Higher Judicial Council more than doubled her punishment for "her attempt to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media."

Her lawyer, human rights activist Abdul Rahman al-Lahem, has been banned by the court from further working on her case, had his law license revoked, and been "summoned by the ministry of justice to appear before a disciplinary committee in December" after he appealed the original verdict--not only because his client was sentenced to receive lashes, but because her Sunni rapists were sentenced to shockingly paltry sentences of one to five years.

On appeal, the court increased their sentences to two to nine years. And they gave the women they raped 110 more lashes and a prison term.

http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/

What the hell? What type of world do we live in?!?!?!

So completely scary.....

It's not the whole world. Just certain medieval cultures.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Update: her lawyer seems to know more about Islamic Law (but not necessarily chopfrack al-Saud interpretation thereof).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7098480.stm

Saudi gang rape sentence 'unjust'

A lawyer for a gang-rape victim in Saudi Arabia who was sentenced to 200 lashes and six-months in jail says the punishment contravenes Islamic law.

The woman was initially punished for violating laws on segregation of the sexes - she was in an unrelated man's car at the time of the attack.

When she appealed, judges doubled her sentence, saying she had been trying to use the media to influence them.

Her lawyer has been suspended from the case and faces a disciplinary session.

Abdel Rahman al-Lahem told the BBC Arabic Service that the sentence was in violation of Islamic law:

"My client is the victim of this abhorrent crime. I believe her sentence contravenes the Islamic Sharia law and violates the pertinent international conventions," he said.

"The judicial bodies should have dealt with this girl as the victim rather than the culprit."

The lawyer also said that his client his will appeal against the decision to increase her punishment.

Segregation laws

According to the Arab News newspaper, the 19-year-old woman, who is from Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, was gang-raped 14 times in an attack in Qatif in the eastern province a year-and-a-half ago.

Seven men were found guilty of the rape and sentenced to prison terms ranging from just under a year to five years.

The rapists' sentences were also doubled by the court. Correspondents say the sentences were still low considering the rapists could have faced the death penalty.

The rape victim was punished for violating Saudi Arabia's laws on segregation that forbid unrelated men and women from associating with each other. She was initially sentenced to 90 lashes for being in the car of a strange man.

On appeal, the Arab News reported that the punishment was not reduced but increased to 200 lashes and a six-month prison sentence.

'Personal views'

Mr Lahem accused the court of letting personal views influence its decision:

"It seems that the sentence was influenced by the fact that the woman escalated the issue with her lawyer and also with the supreme judicial authorities," he said.

"This is astonishing because justice is supposed to be independent from all pressures as well as personal considerations, be it a feeling towards the lawyer or defendant herself," he added.

The Arab News quoted an official as saying the judges had decided to punish the girl for trying to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media.

Mr Lahem said that the judges' decision to confiscate his license to work and stop him from representing his client is illegal.

Lahem is sharp here: it is due to the al-Saud family's opinions (and also Salafi judge who hates Shia's) opinion that ruled here--naturally the judge (every Salafi by definition is a chopfrack!) cannot allow the fact that the lawyer knows more than he does be known!

[mawilson 2,133]

Holy Shiite!

[Jasman0717 9]

Damn

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Saudi Arabia has little or nothing to do with Islam except for the history of the land beneath it. Poor child!

Edited November 17, 2007 by Green-eyed girl