Saudi Arabia: More shared values

A Saudi Appeals Court has sentenced a woman, who was gang-raped, to six months in jail and 180 lashes, the Saudi daily Al-Watan reported.

The woman was sentenced last year to 90 lashes, but the Appeals Court decided to double her punishment because her immoral behavior was the "prime reason" for her rape.

The court explained its decision by saying that the woman, who was married, had an affair which lasted several months before her rape. This "immoral behavior" led to her rape, the court concluded.

The six rapists were sentenced to between two and nine years in jail and between 350 and 1,000 lashes each.

The case has stirred up tensions in the eastern region of the monarchy, which is dominated by a Shi'ite population. The raped woman was a Shi'ite and the local population is accusing the court of giving relatively mild sentences to the rapists.

The woman's lawyer, 'Abd A-Rahman A-Lahm, said the maximum punishment for rape at gunpoint was the death sentence.

A-Lahm's license to practice law was taken from him following the case, after he objected to the Appeals Court's decision not to allow another appeal at a higher level. Link

db: In the interest of balance I need to point out that BBC Wordservice radio is reporting that this unfortunate Shi'ite lady was sentenced to 200 'lashes' rather than the above 180. Significant if you're on the receiving end.

Shared values - 30/10/07