Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court reaffirmed yesterday that it rejects the most fundamental notions of due process, free speech, freedom of religion, and the free press. It was able to do all of that in one case — perfectly capturing the inherently abusive elements of Sharia law and religiously based legal systems.
As we have previously discussed, Badawi, a 31-year-old father of three who was lashed in January in a public square, sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes for breaking Saudi Arabia’s technology laws and insulting Islamic religious figures through a blog. In a demonstration of utter contempt for human rights and world opinion, an appellate criminal court in Jiddah last year increased the punishment to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes. He also was banned from traveling abroad for 10 years after his prison term and fined $266,000.
He was notably flogged outside of a mosque in Jiddah to further establish the imposition of Islamic justice for someone who simply wrote about his opinion on current events. The barbaric flogging is scheduled for 20 weekly sessions with 50 lashes each week.
Once again, it is cases like Badawi that raise the question of the distinction between some of our closest allies and the “extremists” that we are committed to resist. It is not the fight against extremism that I question (though we can debate the means), it is the selective measure that we apply between different countries. It is certainly true that Saudi Arabia is not viewed as a sponsor of terrorism, has attempted some marginal reforms, and has committed itself to fighting ISIS. I see the difference with ISIS even with Saudi Arabia beheading people in public squares and sentencing people to death for apostasy. However, it remains a country that refuses a single non-Mosque to be built on its territory, widespread denial of free speech, denial of basis rights for women, denial of the free press, and a host of other rights considered core human rights.
It seems to me that all religions have their shortfalls and their criminal aspects. These are ignored by those who keep the faith within that religion and by those who keep the faith in other religions. “Do unto others”… and all that crap. The Catholics have hundreds of pedophile priests just in America. They move them around to confuse the flock. Mormons used to require the men to marry six ugly women. They outlawed that in Utah but it still exists underground so to speak. The Klan used to wear the Cross and still do although they are far less prevalent. Perhaps the Klan is the best analogy that we have in America to ISIS. The prevalence of the Klan in many areas of America was huge and it was not that long ago. All religions are worthless. Except my own. The Eighth Day Dog Adventists offer all things good to mankind. Pet your dog and be thankful that you do not live in the Middle East. Ask your Congressman to pass legislation banning the emigration of humans from the Middle East and Far East. No more Tsarboys.
BarkingDog – would you cite a source for the Mormons having to marry 6 ugly women? And on the Catholic Church moving their sexual predators around, so did every school district in the USA. And there are more of them, then the Catholic Church.
jr conklin – thanks for the update. That’s so awful. My prayers are with Mr Badawi and his family. I fear that Saudi Arabia is not very responsive to global pressure, such as from AI, but at least he has some support.
Our ties to Saudi Arabia predates the Bush presidencies. My father, for example, traveled there multiple times, both for the military and private industry, long before either of them.
And here we had the SCOTUS rule on FLORENCE v. BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS.
And these guys are our allies?
Squeeky,
Very good.
A bit clinical for my taste, but reassuring nonetheless.
Thanks.
Carry on.
You shall,
Indubitably.
I agree with the above comment. Don’t invade by any means. Fly over and flush. Don’t do business unless you must. We need to drill our own oil in America. Tent heads need to be thought of as tent heads.
amnesty international has boots on the ground, and has been following, lending aid and support (moral and financial) in every way possible to mr badawi’s beautiful family for a very long time. we [the membership] have petitioned, and petitioned, and telephoned, and handwritten letters, and petitioned more, mass faxed, e-mailed, mailed, petitioned more, whilst amnesty’s international personnel and in particular, i believe, the london bureau, have been present in person each time mr badawi was moved from cell to court to other court. ai reps witnessed the horrific first beating which injured him so badly the prison’s own physician(s) declared him unfit for repeated lashes the next 3 or 4 fridays, if memory serves. no amount of clothing stops the skin breaking, the blood flowing, the scarring, nor particularly the mental scarring. please go to amnesty int’ls website. i’m still waiting for their email update for their next strategic move. it is utterly ridiculous that the usa still calls that country a friend. it was ridiculous when we did so just because the bush clan appreciated the royal family’s largesse; what’s our excuse now?
jr conklin – I do not agree with the sentence since I think it is hard to give without severely damaging the person. However, since I do not agree with other countries messing with our law, I do not agree with our messing with their law.
“Their country, their rules.”
I don’t see any contradiction to recognizing their sovereignty (Their country, their rules) and using our considerable influence to encourage change.
Having said that, I am not particularly keen on the idea of invading their country to instill our view of independence, liberty, and respect for law.
@forgotwhoiam
No. I am the same. The topics here today are just not really as ripe for humor. Like the gay defenestration one. Or the feral black pool party, although I did manage to slip in a Creature From Black Lagoon allusion in. Which, that movie really was about interracial sex, sort of a Mandingo Meets Monster Mix. Plus, I did write a Bruce Jenner Irish Poem today, someplace else!
Spruce Bruce???
An Irish Poem by Squeeky Fromm
There once was a fellow named Bruce,
Whose grip on Reality’s loose!
Though he has a dick,
He thinks he’s a chick!
In short, just a damn silly goose!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky
You seem to have suffered a metamorphosis.
There exists a dearth of sexual innuendo in your recent posts.
“Vous n’êtes pas le cœur si léger et frivole, oui?”
There is a sign in the lobby of a hotel in Saudi Arabia next to the computer. If you blog, we flog. It is written in Arabic and English. East of Corfu the Ten Commandments Don’t Apply. And it goes beyond the Ten Commandments. We need to pull out now like our fathers should have. We have no business doing business in or with the middle east. Its all suny suny bo bonney, banna fanna fo mooey. The name game.
rcocean – many of us have complained about human rights in Cuba and China on this very blog. Check out the Chinese pollution thread.
@Max-1
If I lived 70ish years ago, and a Nazi complained about the Soviets killing a Jew, I would feel compelled to point out the irony.
Same here, Adolf.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter