Saudi court sentences rape victim to 90 lashes

Jerusalem Post ^ | Nov. 2, 2006 | DPA

[Mount Athos]

A Saudi court has sentenced a gang rape victim to 90 lashes of the whip because she was alone in a car with a man to whom she was not married.

The sentence was passed at the end of a trial in which the al- Qateef high criminal court convicted four Saudis convicted of the rape, sentencing them to prison terms and a total of 2,230 lashes.

The four, all married, were sentenced respectively to five years and 1,000 lashes, four years and 800 lashes, four years and 350 lashes, and one year and 80 lashes.

A fifth, married, man who was stated to have filmed the rape on his mobile phone still faces investigation. Two others alleged to have taken part in the rape evaded capture.

Saudi courts take marital status into account in sexual crimes. A male friend of the rape victim was also sentenced to 90 lashes for being alone with her in the car.

The court heard that the victim and her friend were followed by the assailants to their car, kidnapped and taken to a remote farm, where the raping occurred.

The victim was quoted by Okaz newspaper as saying she had expected harsher penalties for the assailants, especially as they had pleaded not guilty.

Her husband and family said that they would appeal to the court Saturday for harsher penalties for a crime which has shocked public opinion in Saudi Arabia and been the subject of months of debate.

[ableLight]

I think what you're seeing as mental illness is really just a culture caught in times past. Women have been basically treated literally like animals for the last several thousand years. It has only been in recent, modern times that some semblance of equality has emerged and I would say, gone too far in the opposite direction. It will eventually swing back to something more neutral. In any case, these middle eastern cultures are just held in a time warp. The women don't know anything different. It has been their culture for thousands of years.

The only way they will catch up with the rest of the world is through broader exposure to other ideas and education. That usually starts within their own societies as people begin to question old ways. One obstacle to that is Islamic theocracy and dictatorships, something the West is trying to free them of.

[mockingbyrd]

and that women feel respected in Islam....

excuse me while I puke.

[Roccus]

Someone please explain to me again the difference between run of the mill mooslimbs and the islamofascist variety that have "hijacked" this wonderful 'religion.'

[Lil Flower]

Waiting to hear the Democrats comdemn these acts of cruel and unusual punishments. *silence*

Waiting to hear the same from our Administration

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Why we allow this way of life across our borders is a mystery to me.

[Mark was here]

Maybe she forgot to say no. /s

[thulldud]

Some of the idiots at DU who are crying about a Bush "theocracy" need to read this....

Hey, lighten up. At least they aren't forcing rape victims to bear the rapists's children. That would be REAL victimization.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Read the Book "The Arab Mind." The Arab culture from the Desert is largely the origin of the Saudi brand of Islam. Mohammad was from Mecca, and Islam adopted some of this culture, but the Wahabbis from Saudi are more conservative than other Arab countries. I lived there for 5 years in the 80s. Crime is virtually nonexistent (except for sexcrimes-don't let your children play alone outside). Islam does have a double standard for adultery. It allows men to do so, but not women. The penalty for adultery is stoning to death. Married men are allowed concubines.
In the desert culture, your future and life depended on survival of your family group (usually multi-generational with several families). If you lost your women, your family was threatened.
While in Saudi, we were warned that if single people were out at a restaurant together that the religious police would sometimes question them for IDs showing that they were married. I never saw that happen while I was there, but heard about it happening. There is really no dating in Saudi, especially out in public.
In the Arab culture, if you go up to a house, knock on the door and the wife comes to the door, then the husband comes up, he will presume fooling around.

[Soothesayer]

**These people are mentally ill**

They are not mentally ill at all, they are evil and morally bankrupt. Mental illness and evil are NOT equivalent any more than a cancer patient and evil are equivalent.

[justshutupandtakeit]

It was worse. Arab tribes routinely exposed female infants. At least the Moslems stopped that. Needed the population for their military adventures.

[RightWhale]

One criminal. The US rounded up 11,000 criminals last week. Probably none will get lashes, but they are in a world of hurt anyway.

[Biggirl]

A pre-Election Day warning to the American voter what we are up against.

[shekkian]

Saudi Arabia must be a delightful place to visit.

(sarc)

[montag813]

Pisslam the Evil Cult of Satan BUMP

[Mac1]

Saudi Arabia = The taliban with money...

wish I'd thought of that

[incredulous joe]

"Someone please explain to me again the difference between run of the mill mooslimbs and the islamofascist variety that have "hijacked" this wonderful 'religion.'"

Islamofascists are the ones that cut yer head off for not adhering to the "Religion of Peace", while run of the mill Muslims stand by and say nothing because they are afraid they will get their heads cut off by the Islamofascists.

[Luke21]

Yeah, our feminists will be all over this...not.

[Aikonaa]

Saudis, our 'allies' in the WOT.

[oldenuff2no]

Where the hell is NOW when crap like this happens?
Not a word of protest from the feminazies!!!!!