Khamisa Sawadi, 75, is a Syrian widow of a Saudi man still living in the Kingdom. She has been sentenced to 40 lashes and four months in jail for simply being seen speaking with two young men who are not her relatives. After being flogged and jailed, she will then be deported for the crime under Sharia law. She was convicted of “illegal mingling.”
Sawaid reportedly asked the two 24-year-old men to bring her five loaves of bread. One of the men, Fahd al-Anzi is the nephew of her late husband and the other is his friend and business partner. Both men will also be flogged and jailed. Amazingly, it was al-Anzi’s father who accused Sawadi of corruption. The court ruled “Because she said she doesn’t have a husband and because she is not a Saudi, conviction of the defendants of illegal mingling has been confirmed.”
The trial itself was perfectly medieval. Sawadi claimed that she breast fed al-Anzi as a baby (under Islamic tradition, breast feeding creates a degree of maternal relation) and thus could treat him as her son. The court, in a type of CSI Sharia ruling, found a lack of evidence of breast feeding.
For the full story, click here.
If I understand joe’s logic, it is objectionable to protest a condition or state of facts existing in one’s own country if that same condition or state of facts exists in another country. It appears that joe has been unable to get beyond the “Johnny did it too” argument that most of us wisely abandon by puberty.
PSHH. the reason why this doesn’t happen here in the USA is that we would speak out against it. all those activists, they are here, not there. why should they go there? those people should get some backbone and speak up for themselves. where is the public outcry? they should know this isn’t right, and not wait until foreigners have to interfere and show them what’s right and what’s not.
Amazing what western governments will let a nation get away with when they have so much black gold under their dirt. Anyone who has ever believed that the US was in Iraq to bring democracy to the Iraqi’s take note, Saudi Arabia is a key US ally in the Middle East.
This depressing story is just more evidence of how nothing will change in the world until people face the idiocy in their various religions.This sentence is right out of the tribal laws and customs of the Old Testament, That these ancient strictures have any place in 21st century “justice” is utterly insane and unacceptable.
As a feminist and gay rights activist, I am formally condemning all those who kill women for being women and/or gays for being gays, regardless of nation or religious conviction. This statement is made, by proxy, on behalf of all feminists and gay rights activists everywhere for all time.
Now that we have THAT on record, on to equal marriage rights and unfair salary distribution based on gender. These things are unjust. Joe, as you are such an outspoken activist for feminism and gay rights in Islamic countries, I must assume you agree with these sentiments.
How does one determine ‘lack of evidence of breast feeding’? Might be a good trick to know when cruising for babes.
Better yet, it’s OK to beat up gays and leave them hanging to die on a Wyoming fence as long as Iran hangs gays.
Good to know that Iran is now the guiding light in the treatment of gays.
Joe:
so you are okay with repression as long as we dont kill them?
Joe,
How do you think we avoid scenarios like you describe in your last sentence? We the People fight unjust laws so we don’t have to fight each other. For now anyway. We’ll see how it all works out. I hope you find your way out of repression.
people need to stop complaining about life here in the USA, and realize how bad it is in the middle east. Feminists: where are you on islam? how come you never speak out against it? Gay rights activists: where are you on islam ? (Iran hangs gays every year) . instead you want to complain about equal pay ammendments and prop 8s. THEY ARE KILLING WOMEN AND GAYS OVER THERE JUST FOR BEING WOMEN AND GAYS