Saudi gang-rape victim is jailed

[Honey]

Saudi women are subject to strict sex segregation laws

An appeal court in Saudi Arabia has doubled the number of lashes and added a jail sentence as punishment for a woman who was gang-raped.

The victim was initially punished for violating laws on segregation of the sexes - she was in an unrelated man's car at the time of the attack.
When she appealed, the judges said she had been attempting to use the media to influence them.
The attackers' sentences - originally of up to five years - were doubled.

Extra penalties
According to the Arab News newspaper, the 19-year-old woman, who is from Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, was gang-raped 14 times in an attack in the eastern province a year-and-a-half ago.
Seven men from the majority Sunni community were found guilty of the rape and sentenced to prison terms ranging from just under a year to five years.
But the victim was also punished for violating Saudi Arabia's laws on segregation that forbid unrelated men and women from associating with each other. She was initially sentenced to 90 lashes for being in the car of a strange man.

On appeal, the Arab News reported that the punishment was not reduced but increased to 200 lashes and a six-month prison sentence.
The rapists also had their prison terms doubled. But the sentences are still low considering they could have faced the death penalty.
The Arab News quoted an official as saying the judges had decided to punish the girl for trying to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media. The victim's lawyer was suspended from the case, has had his licence to work confiscated, and faces a disciplinary session.

BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Saudi gang-rape victim is jailed

[january]

This makes me cry. Seriously. Just a feeling of complete hopelessness.

[birdmadgirl]

As much as I gripe about America's problems, I'm so freaking grateful I didn't end up anywhere in the Middle East.

[Sojiita]

Originally Posted by birdmadgirl

As much as I gripe about America's problems, I'm so freaking grateful I didn't end up anywhere in the Middle East.

Amen and Hallelujah to that! Just the thought of living there..*shudder*

[Honey]

Yes, it would suck to be a woman there...or gay.

I guess we do take a lot for granted when we hear things like this?

[Sojiita]

Originally Posted by Honey

Yes, it would suck to be a woman there...or gay.

I guess we do take a lot for granted when we hear things like this?

It would also suck to just be a muslim there-a muslim who had a more liberal interpretation of their religion than many others there (including the government/ruling family/clerics etc). Sad that.

[Honey]

Yep

[DontMindMe]

[pacific breeze]

And to think, the Saudi royals are among the Bush family's best friends.

[McJag]

Originally Posted by pacific breeze

And to think, the Saudi royals are among the Bush family's best friends.

That must explain why we get such a low gasoline price...

[pacific breeze]

Well, don't think the Bushes aren't profiting from that. They're in the oil business, after all! That's one of the reasons they are so buddy buddy.

[McJag]

Originally Posted by pacific breeze

Well, don't think the Bushes aren't profiting from that. They're in the oil business, after all! That's one of the reasons they are so buddy buddy.

PB-that was a yoke,Eggbert! We do NOT get cheap prices at all.

[pacific breeze]

I know, but the Bush family's involvement with the Saudis is one of the reasons why it is expensive!

[Chilly Willy]

Originally Posted by McJag

PB-that was a yoke,Eggbert! We do NOT get cheap prices at all.

You American folks crack me up.

Today the average gas price in the US is 3,111 Dollar per gallon.

Today the average gas price in Germany is 5,378 Euro per gallon, that's 7,865 Dollar.

For that we could use a corrupt Bush family, too. But we need this stupid planet as well. You can't have both. Life's a bitch.

[crumpet]

Oh come now, people. Didn't you get the diversity memo informing you that all cultures are equal? Tisk tisk.