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Punishment in Saudi Arabia

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  • Schmidt
    2015-01-08 12:48:53 PM
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    Center for Inquiry, January 8, 2015: First of 1000 Lashes to be Inflicted on Saudi Dissident Tomorrow, CFI Demands His Release

    "Raif Badawi, the Saudi Arabian human rights activist serving a decade in prison for “insulting Islam” and running a liberal website, will begin to suffer the first 50 of his 1000 lashes tomorrow morning, the Center for Inquiry has learned. CFI demands that the Saudi Arabian government end this persecution, forego this brutal punishment, and free Raif immediately.

    "Badawi, a 30-year-old father of three, was convicted of “insulting Islam” and other crimes of dissent in 2013 for helping to found the website Liberal Saudi Network, which was dedicated to fostering debate on religion and politics, and promoting respect for the freedom of religion, belief, and expression, as well as women’s rights. For his crime, Badawi was sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes, which was in May increased to 10 years and 1000 lashes, plus an onerous fine and a ban on travel and access to electronic media for 10 years following his prison term.

    "A Saudi Government official will flog Badawi in public after Friday prayers in front of al-Jafali mosque in Jeddah."

    This is life in Saudi Arabia, an ally of the United States. Different strokes for different folks...no pun intended. It should also be noted that the form of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia is Wahhabism, a much stricter ultraconservative sect of Sunni Islam.
  • TJ
    2015-01-08 01:51:55 PM
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    The Saudi's can be very harsh. Many are beheaded every year. My problem with them is the long trails of evidence pointing to them as being a major financial backing in terror. Know what makes us accept this evil behavior ? They have something that we want to buy. (come on electric cars, we need to end our dependence). There have been many very negative things in the Saudi's past. It's past time for these to be admitted, and taken into consideration in the bigger picture.
  • Schmidt
    2015-01-08 01:54:09 PM
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    The reason I posted this is to highlight the hypocrisy of Saudi's statement regarding the mass killings in Paris: They called it a “Cowardly terrorist act which Islam as well as other religions reject."

    I can appreciate that Islam as a whole rejects these kind of terrorist acts. But if the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists had lived in Saudi Arabia, would not they be subject to the same 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison as well for "insulting Islam"? Or maybe even worse...beheading? And is the dishing out of only 50 lashes at a time (presumably to allow the victim to recover and not die) a humane treatment? That means he will be have 20 lashing sessions at 50 lashes each over the next 10 years...for insulting Islam and running a liberal website.
  • jaredsxtn
    2015-01-08 04:48:01 PM
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    Schmidt Wrote: The reason I posted this is to highlight the hypocrisy of Saudi's statement regarding the mass killings in Paris: They called it a “Cowardly terrorist act which Islam as well as other religions reject."

    I can appreciate that Islam as a whole rejects these kind of terrorist acts. But if the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists had lived in Saudi Arabia, would not they be subject to the same 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison as well for "insulting Islam"? Or maybe even worse...beheading? And is the dishing out of only 50 lashes at a time (presumably to allow the victim to recover and not die) a humane treatment? That means he will be have 20 lashing sessions at 50 lashes each over the next 10 years...for insulting Islam and running a liberal website.
    It is a weird dichotomy. How can a country that throws satirical journalists in prison call the attack in Paris a cowardly act? They don't even allow publications like Charlie Hebdo to exist in their country, so I'm not entirely sure where they have the audacity to come out so publicly against these attacks.
  • Dutch
    2015-01-08 09:31:29 PM
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    jaredsxtn Wrote:
    Schmidt Wrote: The reason I posted this is to highlight the hypocrisy of Saudi's statement regarding the mass killings in Paris: They called it a “Cowardly terrorist act which Islam as well as other religions reject."

    I can appreciate that Islam as a whole rejects these kind of terrorist acts. But if the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists had lived in Saudi Arabia, would not they be subject to the same 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison as well for "insulting Islam"? Or maybe even worse...beheading? And is the dishing out of only 50 lashes at a time (presumably to allow the victim to recover and not die) a humane treatment? That means he will be have 20 lashing sessions at 50 lashes each over the next 10 years...for insulting Islam and running a liberal website.
    It is a weird dichotomy. How can a country that throws satirical journalists in prison call the attack in Paris a cowardly act? They don't even allow publications like Charlie Hebdo to exist in their country, so I'm not entirely sure where they have the audacity to come out so publicly against these attacks.
    Jared; quite simple the "Royalty" in the saddle wants to retain their positions and wealth; they are affraid the ISIS fanatism may spread and create an uprising in their country ; that is the reason they show this hypocracy.
  • Schmidt
    2015-01-09 04:21:06 PM
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    Huffington Post, January 9, 2015: Witness: Saudi Blogger Convicted For Insulting Islam Flogged In Public 50 Times

    "DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Saudi blogger convicted of insulting Islam was brought after Friday prayers to a public square in the port city of Jiddah and flogged 50 times before hundreds of spectators, a witness to the lashing said. The witness said Raif Badawi's feet and hands were shackled during the flogging but his face was visible. He remained silent and did not cry out, said the witness, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity fearing government reprisal.

    "London-based Amnesty International said he would receive 50 lashes once a week for 20 weeks. Saudi Arabia's close ally, the United States, had called on authorities to cancel the punishment."

    I agree that this is more about power and wealth. They are using a public flogging as a demonstration to anyone that might want to challenge their power. That's what fearful leaders do.
  • jaredsxtn
    2015-01-09 06:37:26 PM
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    Schmidt Wrote: I agree that this is more about power and wealth. They are using a public flogging as a demonstration to anyone that might want to challenge their power. That's what fearful leaders do.
    I agree that's what fearful leaders do, but this almost universally comes back to bite them in the ass each and every time. Have they not looked around them as one leader after the other falls for doing the exact same thing they are?

    I really wonder how the falling oil prices are going to affect their internal politics. They are largely able to impose these harsh rules because of their enormous oil wealth, but what happens now that oil is plummeting? Their entire economy is dependent on oil and they subsidize their population generously with this oil wealth. What happens once the government loses that and is forced to cut back on the subsidizes?
  • Dutch
    2015-01-10 09:06:24 AM
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    jaredsxtn Wrote:
    Schmidt Wrote: I agree that this is more about power and wealth. They are using a public flogging as a demonstration to anyone that might want to challenge their power. That's what fearful leaders do.
    I agree that's what fearful leaders do, but this almost universally comes back to bite them in the ass each and every time. Have they not looked around them as one leader after the other falls for doing the exact same thing they are?

    I really wonder how the falling oil prices are going to affect their internal politics. They are largely able to impose these harsh rules because of their enormous oil wealth, but what happens now that oil is plummeting? Their entire economy is dependent on oil and they subsidize their population generously with this oil wealth. What happens once the government loses that and is forced to cut back on the subsidizes?
    The point is that the "rich" oil countries, like Saudia, Quatar, Bahrain, Dubai etc, have a strong tie with the western world who provides also all their "goodies" ; their interface with the rest of the world makes them strong. Also they make sure that all positions in their governments are loyal to them by giving them what they want. It is a different dictorial system. Also most of them have not to deal with all kind of religeous factions like in Iraq and Syria; they keep them in-line.
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