The leading human rights organization Amnesty International has called on Saudi Arabia to end the persecution of lawyer Abd al-Rahman al-Lahem who was stripped of his license and put under investigation after telling the world of another abusive sentence of a rape victim by the medieval Sharia courts of Saudi Arabia. In the case, a court sentenced a 19-year-old rape victim to 90 lashes. When her attorney went public with the abusive sentence, her sentence was increased to 200 lashes plus six months in jail and her lawyer was stripped of his license. The victim was found guilty of violating the Sharia rule requiring strict segregation of the sexes.
The Saudi court was irate that it was being criticized internationally and banned al-Lahem from defending the woman, confiscated his license and started disciplinary hearings against him.
The lawyer won the 2008 Human Rights Defenders Award but the government barred him from leaving the country to accept the award.
The rape occurred in 2006 when the women got into a car with a male high school student to retrieve a picture. Two men jumped into the car and drove them to a secluded area. She was raped by seven men. The men also assaulted the male friend. Many have criticized Saudi Arabia for a “rape culture” where such abuses occur with little deterrent. In this case, al-Lathim criticized the light punishment given the rapists and the harsh punishment given his client.
By the way, in an example of the hold of the Saudis on our government, our supposed feminist administration issued this statement through US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said:
I think when you look at the crime and the fact that now the victim is punished, I think that causes a fair degree of surprise and astonishment. It is within the power of the Saudi government to take a look at the verdict and change it.
Wow. Now that is a stinging criticism. Canada went into full diplomatic press denouncing the case. Our government merely observed that the Saudi could reexamine the sentence.
With this response from the U.S. it is not surprising that Saudi Arabia responded by pointing out that the “charges were proven” against the woman for being in a car with a strange male . . . and the gang rape by seven men was not apparently enough for the Sharia court as punishment. The Saudi government also dismissed criticism of its abuse of al-Lahem who it described as speaking “defiantly” about the judicial system and noted that these objections have “shown ignorance.”
Abdul Rahman al-Lahem has reportedly been charged by the Public Prosecutor and will appear before a three member committee set up by the Minister of Justice.
Well done on exposing this. It does not change their disgusting behaviour in SA, but keep it public anyway, even as they increase sentencing as a way to mddle finger the rest of the world. Excuse the u’s with the o’s …I’m back in Blighty for a few weeks.
Disgusting backwards country. It’s a curse to be born a woman in such societies.
Wait, wait…. Don’t tell me…. Who are the friends of the military industrial complex…..
What do you expect from the religion of piece. You get the Muslim mantra of mucho murder, mayhem, and madness.
Reblogged this on Dead Citizen's Rights Society.
Reblogged this on U.S. Constitutional Free Press.
There is NOTHING in the Quran requiring a strict segregation of the sexes-that is a SAUDI law, not an Islamic one. FURTHERMORE, there is nothing in the Quran that says that the punishment for the “crime” of not being strictly segregated should be lashes. THAT is not in the Quran. LIkely because there is no crime involved in the first place! I don’t know what kind of “scholars” are writing their laws, but they should go back and read the BOOK. I’m pretty mad. I’d write a letter to the govt, but I want to be allowed to go to Haj one day. . . I have been to Saudi btw and was treated beautifully by every person I met in Makkah, Medina and Riyaad. I think the scholars are out of touch with Islam and with humanity.
Reblogged this on Ace News Services and commented:
#AceWorldNews says “Amnesty International” calls for Saudi Arabia to End Persecution of “Lawyer in Notorious Rape Case” #unfairlaw
#AceWorldNews says “Amnesty International” calls for Saudi Arabia to End Persecution of “Lawyer in Notorious Rape Case” #unfairlaw
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Support for the 1%ers is international.
But by all means embargo Cuba.
Male domination of women is the basis of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, That condition was a “given” in ancient times and continues in primitive cultures. What is different about some modern cultures that has allowed most men to have fulfilling lives without oppressing women?
Pirate Territory where Tentheads rule. Ants will not live there. I have studied the place.
“Rape culture” is certainly the operative in SA.
So Iran is a nation to be feared because of its backward policies and Saudi Arabia is a valued ally because of its ability to purchase U.S. politicians and that makes sense. Yet these countries are eerily similar in their policies towards half their population. Religion is no excuse for the degradation and oppression of women. No culture that abuses women can be considered to be
anything but an oppressive culture.
Shhhhhhhhhh, – don’t risk their shutting off the profits from oil*!*
The cultural amygdala is easier to envision in some cases such as these Saudi Sharia cases compared to U.S. criminal law cases.