Saudis Defend Rape Victim's Jail Sentence

(CBS/AP)  The Saudi judiciary on Tuesday defended a court verdict that sentenced a 19-year-old victim of a gang rape to six months in jail and 200 lashes because she was with an unrelated male when they were attacked.

The Shiite Muslim woman had initially been sentenced to 90 lashes after being convicted of violating Saudi Arabia's rigid Islamic law requiring segregation of the sexes.

But in considering her appeal of the verdict, the Saudi General Court increased the punishment. It also roughly doubled prison sentences for the seven men convicted of raping the woman, Saudi news media said last week.

The reports triggered an international outcry over the Saudis punishing the victim of a terrible crime.

But the Ministry of Justice stood by the verdict Tuesday, saying that "charges were proven" against the woman for having been in a car with a man who was not her relative.

The ministry implied the victim's sentence was increased because she spoke out to the press. "For whoever has an objection on verdicts issued, the system allows an appeal without resorting to the media," said the statement, which was carried on the official Saudi Press Agency.

The attack occurred in 2006. The victim says she was in a car with a male student she used to know trying to retrieve a picture of her. She says two men got into the car and drove them to a secluded area where she was raped by seven men. Her friend also was assaulted.

Justice in Saudi Arabia is administered by a system of religious courts according to the kingdom's strict interpretation of Islamic law.

Judges have wide discretion in punishing criminals, rules of evidence are vague and sometimes no defense lawyer is present. The result, critics say, are sentences left to the whim of judges. A rapist, for instance, could receive anywhere from a light sentence to death.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack avoided directly criticizing the Saudi judiciary over the case, but said the verdict "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," McCormack said.

Canada's minister for women's issues, Jose Verger, has called the sentence "barbaric."

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said the verdict "not only sends victims of sexual violence the message that they should not press charges, but in effect offers protection and impunity to the perpetrators."

Under Saudi's Sharia law, those convicted of murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery and rape can be executed in public with a sword.

On Wednesday, Saudi authorities beheaded a Pakistani man convicted of smuggling heroin into the kingdom, the Interior Ministry said.

In a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, the ministry said that Abdul Qayoum Zahru Khan was executed in the holy city of Mecca.

Wednesday's execution brought to 134 the number of people beheaded in the kingdom this year, according to an Associated Press count. Saudi Arabia beheaded 38 people last year and 83 people in 2005.

[erasmus6]

"Do you think those IRAQI WOMEN who BEHEADED a man for wearing WESTERN-STYLED TROUSER, are under men''''s thumb? " posted by patriotic9

YES.

[patriotic9]

Yes, women are no longer under men''''s thumbs and will never allow it to be that way again.
Posted by erasmus6 at 02:36 AM : Nov 24, 2007

Do you think those IRAQI WOMEN who BEHEADED a man for wearing WESTERN-STYLED TROUSER, are under men''s thumb?

[erasmus6]

"American women will first burn america from the artic circle to florida before that type of law come to our shores. Beware of the american woman. We will stand for our rights." posted by annia1233

Yes, women are no longer under men''s thumbs and will never allow it to be that way again.

But what the women of America and other countries should be doing is UNITING and putting a stop to the way women are treated in these countries.

[patriotic9]

Majority of people who hate western styled women are not men but women themsleves. Those women who cover themselves from head to toe consider themselves pious like VIRGIN MARY and look down on Western dressed women as prostitutes.
Posted by patriotic9 at 11:08 PM : Nov 23, 2007

I never say anything without providing valid and undeniable reasons.

Look at the news just came up in foxnews.com

Three suspected Al Qaeda militants beheaded an Iraqi couple in front of the couple''s children, Reuters reported Friday.

The suspected militants were reportedly related to the victims, and told a family uncle the male victim was an infidel because he wore Western-style trousers and did not pray, according to the Reuters report.

The three suspects, including two sisters, reportedly carried out the execution at an all-boys school in Jalawlah in Diyala province.

Two of the three suspects who beheaded men for wearing western style TROUSERS were WOMEN.

Don''t be fooled by supporting the idea of invading a country for women''s liberation where women consider WESTERN LIFE STYLE as acts of PROSTITUTES.

If United States invade SAUDI ARABIA for WOMEN''S LIBERATION, our troops will be facing WOMEN SUICIDE BOMBERS who love their LIFE STYLE as they consider themselves as the only pious people on the face of earth.

[patriotic9]

It%u2019s ridiculous to have intellectual debate with a CHRISTIAN since CHRISTIANITY is PSYCHOSIS and CHRISTIANS are PSYCHOTICS. I am not just making a statement but prove it with valid, sound and undeniable reasons;

Do you see any connection between SINS committed by ADAM and EVE, SINNERS are those NEW BORN CHILDREN born in SINS who cant even think about committing a SIN and the price is paid by a THIRD PARTY FREE of SINS named JESUS.

Do you see any connection between JESUS-LOVER to be GOD-NEGLECTED and JESUS-HATERS to be GOD-CHOSEN?

Do you see any connection between people killed by HITLER and price paid by those PALESTINIANS who can''''t even speak the language spoken by HITLER?

Do you see any connection between CONCENTRATION CAMPS in GERMANY and ISRAEL founded in a completely different country named PALESTINE?

Do you see any connection between OSAMA BEEN-FOGOTTEN in TORA BORA and PSYCHOTIC CHRISTIAN BUSH attacking IRAQ which had nothing to do with 9/11?

On the basis of above mentioned reasons, I came to this CONCLUSION;

"CHRISTIANITY is PSYCHOSIS and CHRISTIANS are PSYCHOTICS"

If anybody disagrees with me, please feel free to correct me with valid and sound reasons. If you prove me wrong, I''''ll acknowledge my mistake and change my point of view.

[patriotic9]

This has everything to do with religion, namely a religion that oppresses its people with a law such as this, that will prosecute the victim instead of the perpetrator.

Posted by noseonurface at 11:20 PM : Nov 23, 2007

What about that religion which asks GOD-NEGLECTED AMERICANS to SACRIFISE their GOD-NEGLECTED MONEY, GOD-NEGLECTED LIVES, and UNHOLY UNITED STATES for a NON-AMERICAN CAUSE, NON-AMERICAN GOD-CHOSEN PEOPLE and a NON-AMERICAN HOLY-LAND?

What about the religion which allows HETEROSEXUAL AMERICANS to marry but denies the same right for HOMOSEXUAL CITIZENS ( Discrimination based on SEXUAL ORIENTATION which is a VIOLLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS)?

What about the religion which accuses a WOMAN of helping DEVIL in getting a man kicked out of HEAVEN?

What about the religion which allows a man to run and jog on the street completely TOPLESS, but throws a woman into prison for the same action in the name of INDECENT EXPOSURE (GENDER-BASED DISCRIMINATION which is a VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS)?

What about the god who RACIALLY DISCRIMINATED against AMERICANS by not promising them a SINGLE PENNY while promising NON-AMERICANS a LAND IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

Radical Islam is bad as it''s an extreme form of CHRISTIANITY, but the real problem of HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION we face in the UNITED STATES in the name of CHRISTIANITY and that is more damaging to our society.

[patriotic9]

This has everything to do with religion, namely a religion that oppresses its people with a law such as this, that will prosecute the victim instead of the perpetrator.

Posted by noseonurface at 11:20 PM : Nov 23, 2007

What about that religion which asks GOD-NEGLECTED AMERICANS to SACRIFISE their GOD-NEGLECTED MONEY, BOD-NEGLECTED LIVES, GOD-NEGLECTED MONEY and UNHOLY UNITED STATES for a NON-AMERICAN CAUSE, NON-AMERICAN GOD-CHOSEN PEOPLE and a NON-AMERICAN HOLY-LAND?

What about the religion which allows HETEROSEXUAL AMERICANS to marry but denies the same right for HOMOSEXUAL CITIZENS ( Discrimination based on SEXUAL ORIENTATION which is a VIOLLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS)?

What about the religion which accuses a WOMAN of helping DEVIL in getting a man kicked out of HEAVEN?

What about the religion which allows a man to run and jog on the street completely TOPLESS, but throws a woman into prison for the same action in the name of INDECENT EXPOSURE (GENDER-BASED DISCRIMINATION which is a VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS)?

[dmhphils]

To all those talking about religion on this matter
this is not about religion, this is about justice and kindness and understanding who is a victim and who is a criminal.
Posted by annia1233 at 10:50 PM : Nov 23, 2007
-----------------------------------------------

This has everything to do with religion, namely a religion that oppresses its people with a law such as this, that will prosecute the victim instead of the perpetrator.

[patriotic9]

Majority of people who hate western styled women are not men but women themsleves. Those women who cover themselves from head to toe consider themselves pious like VIRGIN MARY and look down on Western dressed women as prostitutes. Don''''t believe me, visit any of those women if you are a woman from a western country and see how they look down on you!!!!!!

If you look at the Islamic Radicals in Saudi Arabia, they share same value like their CHRISTIAN BROTHERS in the UNITED STATES.

I still remember the way people looked down on POOR Britney Spears when she showed her PRIVATE PARTS on the INTERNET.

[patriotic9]

All this atrocities in Saudi Arabia is committed in the name of protection of women, just like in US Military during BASIC COMBAT TRAINING, male and female soldiers are not allowed to fraternize in the name of protection of women and maintaining discipline.

In Saudi society, it is dishonesty for a man to look at any woman else his wife. Same way it is dishonesty for a woman to show any part of her body to any body who hasn''t got married with her and haven''t taken care of all of her social and financial responsibilities.

Majority of people who hate western styled women are not men but women themsleves. Those women who cover themselves from head to toe consider themselves pious like VIRGIN MARY and look down on Western dressed women as prostitutes. Don''t believe me, visit any of those women if you are a woman from a western country and see how they look down on you!!!!!!