Thread: Saudi Arabia: gang rape victim's sentence increased.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld ... 1261.story

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - A Saudi court sentenced a woman who had been gang raped to six months in jail and 200 lashes -- more than doubling her initial penalty for being in the car of a man who was not a relative, a newspaper reported Thursday.

The decision by the Qatif General Court came in a case that had sparked rare debate about the kingdom's justice system when it surfaced more than a year ago.

In its decision Wednesday, the court also roughly doubled prison sentences for the seven men convicted of raping the 19-year-old woman, the Arab News reported on its English-language Web site.

According to Arab News, the court said the woman's punishment was increased because of "her attempt to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media."

She had initially been sentenced to 90 lashes after being convicting her of violating Saudi's rigid laws on segregation of the sexes.

Under Saudi Arabia's interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, women are not allowed in public in the company of men other than their male relatives.

The initial sentences for the men convicted of the gang rape ranged from 10 months to five years in prison. Their new sentences range from two to nine years, the paper said.

The attack took place in 2006. The woman has said that it occurred as she tried to retrieve her picture from a male high school student she used to know. While in the car with the student, two men got into the vehicle and drove them to a secluded area. She said she was raped there by seven men, three of whom also attacked her friend.

Reports of the story triggered debate about Saudi Arabia's legal system, in which judges have wide discretion in punishing a criminal, rules of evidence are shaky and sometimes no defense lawyers are present. The result, critics say, are sentences left to the whim of judges.

The woman was identified in the media only as the Girl from Qatif. The case was referred back to the General Court by an appeals court last summer, after the woman's attorney argued the verdict was too lenient for the rapists and unjust for the victim.

What kind of sick jackass would lash a woman 200 times, knowing full well she may not even survive, let alone the fact she was raped. It's really sickning to watch how the middle east still lives in the Dark Ages.

And Bush and the Saudi's are in bed with each other....
Sickening.....

I hate to respond to my own post, but I'm bothered by the fact that not a *single* woman from ALIPAC has bothered to comment on the fact that a GANG-RAPE VICTIM is being persecuted for the CRIME COMMITTED AGAINST HER. Don't women support women's rights anymore? Islam brings women's rights back to the Dark Ages.

Originally Posted by Sam-I-am

I hate to respond to my own post, but I'm bothered by the fact that not a *single* woman from ALIPAC has bothered to comment on the fact that a GANG-RAPE VICTIM is being persecuted for the CRIME COMMITTED AGAINST HER. Don't women support women's rights anymore? Islam brings women's rights back to the Dark Ages.

I know, for me, it is because I can't get the thoughts and emotions to slow down enough to form coherent communications on this.

I have tried to respond to this case on a few forums that frequent, I start typing and it just gets so incoherent and infuriated that I just close the tab.

...and I am going to hit submit now, or I will try to go into my opinions on this, be unable to clearly type them out, and end up closing this tab, too.

Originally Posted by Sam-I-am

I hate to respond to my own post, but I'm bothered by the fact that not a *single* woman from ALIPAC has bothered to comment on the fact that a GANG-RAPE VICTIM is being persecuted for the CRIME COMMITTED AGAINST HER. Don't women support women's rights anymore? Islam brings women's rights back to the Dark Ages.

Sam-I-Am, what are we to say that isn't obvious? Of course we're appalled. Of course we're sympathetic.

But we're completely helpless to do anything about it. Don't you think that every single woman in the developed world would go running to this poor woman's aid if we thought we had a chance in hell of helping her?

But they are a lost culture that somehow missed their reformation. And I'm not sure there's any help for them. I think what's most important is that we keep them AWAY FROM US and we absolutely do not allow them to infect our culture with their twisted and backward religion and laws.

Originally Posted by americangirl

[
Sam-I-Am, what are we to say that isn't obvious? Of course we're appalled. Of course we're sympathetic.

But we're completely helpless to do anything about it. Don't you think that every single woman in the developed world would go running to this poor woman's aid if we thought we had a chance in hell of helping her?

But they are a lost culture that somehow missed their reformation. And I'm not sure there's any help for them. I think what's most important is that we keep them AWAY FROM US and we absolutely do not allow them to infect our culture with their twisted and backward religion and laws.

I just wanted to say thanks for having the courage to respond AG and Orchid_noir. The silence was deafening and sometimes, while silence doesn't sound like approval, it might be taken for indifference.

I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving AG!

Originally Posted by Sam-I-am

Originally Posted by americangirl

[
Sam-I-Am, what are we to say that isn't obvious? Of course we're appalled. Of course we're sympathetic.

But we're completely helpless to do anything about it. Don't you think that every single woman in the developed world would go running to this poor woman's aid if we thought we had a chance in hell of helping her?

But they are a lost culture that somehow missed their reformation. And I'm not sure there's any help for them. I think what's most important is that we keep them AWAY FROM US and we absolutely do not allow them to infect our culture with their twisted and backward religion and laws.

I just wanted to say thanks for having the courage to respond AG and Orchid_noir. The silence was deafening and sometimes, while silence doesn't sound like approval, it might be taken for indifference.

I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving AG!

Thanks, Sam-I-Am. I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving too!

And of course I hope Orchid_noir had a relaxing, fun Thanksgiving as well!

Originally Posted by Sam-I-am

And of course I hope Orchid_noir had a relaxing, fun Thanksgiving as well!

Aw Thank you! I sure hope everyone here had a wonderful holiday, as well. (We went to my brother in law's and had turkey, duck, and all kinds of goodness in a quiet little rural small town.... it was GREAT)


And no thanks needed for the initial reply, I read a concerned curiosity in the question so just gave my POV.... though the situation in question still infuriates me beyond words.