Saudi Arabia orders 1,000 lashes and ten-year sentence for editor of website that discussed religion

[Sher Malang]

A Saudi Arabian court has sentenced the editor of a website that discussed religion in the ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom to 10 years in jail and 1,000 lashes.

Raif Badawi, who started the "Free Saudi Liberals" website, was arrested in June 2012 and charged with cyber-crime and disobeying his father - a crime in the Arab state, local media has reported.

His website included articles that were critical of senior religious figures such as Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti and allegedly insulted Islam and religious authorities, according to Human Rights Watch.

Prosecutors had demanded Badawi be tried for apostasy, a charge which carries the death penalty, but this was dismissed by the judge.

Badawi was originally sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes in July last year, but an appeals court overturned the sentence and ordered a retrial - which then earned him a more severe sentence.

His punishment comes shortly after Saudi Arabia criticised Norway's human rights record and accused it of not doing enough to counter criticism of the prophet Mohammed.

The gulf state also demanded all criticism of religion and of the Prophet Mohammed be made illegal in Norway.

Badawi's lawyer, human rights activist Waleed Abu al-Khair, will not be able to represent him in an appeal because he has also been jailed and is currently awaiting trial on criminal charges that include “breaking allegiance with the king,” and “making international organisations hostile to the kingdom".

His retrial led the judge to impose a harsher punishment and fine him one million riyals (£157,000).

In April, the Kingdom introduced a series of new laws which define atheists as terrorists, according to HRW.

In a string of royal decrees and an overarching new piece of legislation to deal with terrorism generally, the Saudi King Abdullah has clamped down on all forms of political dissent and protests that could "harm public order".

Saudi Arabia also announced in March it intended to close the local office of the Qatari-owned al Jazeera satellite television over Qatar’s backing for the Muslim Brotherhood, local media said.

Saudi Arabia orders 1,000 lashes and ten-year sentence for editor of website that discussed religion - Middle East - World - The Independent

 

[Indus Falcon]

Only 1,000? that's too less!! Hope they give it to him in one go!! Sweet!

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Only 1,000? that's too less!! Hope they give it to him in one go!! Sweet!

why? is our iman so weak?

if he did what he did why not do what civilized people do.....EDUCATE him, sit down with him - reason with him.

in this day and age such practices dont have a place in any society, it's 2014 not the stone ages.

and while we do have issues with hyper-liberal bleeding heart SHMUCKS in Pakistan who IMPOSE their will on others - in this case the dude made a few statements on a stupid online platform. Why should people care so much? Of course realities in Pak and KSA are different as are the laws of the land - but just making comparisons. We have shyte-heads like Nadim Paracha of dawn news who never hides his anti-religion agenda. But he still does what he does, and people who dont like him (like me) just dont pay him more attention. Bas, khalas!

Why some guys went psycho over insulting cartoons (and yes, I was OFFENDED b/c the Prophet PBUH is our Honour) -- rioting and ending up in deaths of Muslims in the process. Why this over-reactions?

If he were walking around, harassing people and beating them and making obscene statements then prison or detention would be okay. But lashes over what you say on internet or what you portray in writing (un-educated writing often it is) --is stupid.

 

[he-man]

why? is our iman so weak?

if he did what he did why not do what civilized people do.....EDUCATE him, sit down with him - reason with him.

in this day and age such practices dont have a place in any society, it's 2014 not the stone ages.

and while we do have issues with hyper-liberal bleeding heart SHMUCKS in Pakistan who IMPOSE their will on others - in this case the dude made a few statements on a stupid online platform. Why should people care so much? Of course realities in Pak and KSA are different as are the laws of the land - but just making comparisons. We have shyte-heads like Nadim Paracha of dawn news who never hides his anti-religion agenda. But he still does what he does, and people who dont like him (like me) just dont pay him more attention. Bas, khalas!

Why some guys went psycho over insulting cartoons (and yes, I was OFFENDED b/c the Prophet PBUH is our Honour) -- rioting and ending up in deaths of Muslims in the process. Why this over-reactions?

If he were walking around, harassing people and beating them and making obscene statements then prison or detention would be okay. But lashes over what you say on internet or what you portray in writing (un-educated writing often it is) --is stupid.

Indeed it is,,,,saudi is a dictatorship and that too ultra conservative muslim dictatorship.I think people have to take blame themselves too for not protesting such uber stupid measures

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Indeed it is,,,,saudi is a dictatorship and that too ultra conservative muslim dictatorship.I think people have to take blame themselves too for not protesting such uber stupid measures

its not a "Muslim dictatorship"....it's just a monarchy with conservative laws, some which are exclusive only to KSA and not other Islamic nations.

technically speaking -- monarchies and the days of Kings are archaic and frowned upon in the teachings of the religion.

Saudis as people are great human beings, based on my interactions with them. The ones I met were observant Muslims but not "fundamentalist" ....in some cases, tribe/clan is more important in the Persian Gulf countries than religious beliefs are, especially among the rural bedouin peoples

 

[WAR-rior]

Only 1,000? that's too less!! Hope they give it to him in one go!! Sweet!

You attitude shows that u are so nonconfident about your BEST RELIGION in da World.

Quran says that Religion is a personal thing and cannot be forced. Which naturally means that having an opinion is and shud be allowed in Islam. That springs Debate and hence spreading of knowledge bout Quran or for that matter any Religious Book.

IRONICALLY, I CANT SEE TEACHINGS OF QURAN IN THE HUB OF ISLAM. What next?

 

[MOHSENAM]

such as this action make people more irreligious.in Shia Islam the heaviest lash is 100 lashes for whoever do massive sin in public.

I think that guy was anti regime/wahabi thought not anti religion. like daughters of Saudi king whom are in home detention about 10 years.

by the way Saudi is one of US allies and in US thought they are democratic.


Syria and Iran are not democratic countries.

 

[KingMamba]

Only 1,000? that's too less!! Hope they give it to him in one go!! Sweet!

I think I am the only one who thinks you were being sarcastic, or maybe it is wishful thinking on my part.

 

[Marwat Khan Lodhi]

why? is our iman so weak?

if he did what he did why not do what civilized people do.....EDUCATE him, sit down with him - reason with him.

in this day and age such practices dont have a place in any society, it's 2014 not the stone ages.

and while we do have issues with hyper-liberal bleeding heart SHMUCKS in Pakistan who IMPOSE their will on others - in this case the dude made a few statements on a stupid online platform. Why should people care so much? Of course realities in Pak and KSA are different as are the laws of the land - but just making comparisons. We have shyte-heads like Nadim Paracha of dawn news who never hides his anti-religion agenda. But he still does what he does, and people who dont like him (like me) just dont pay him more attention. Bas, khalas!

Why some guys went psycho over insulting cartoons (and yes, I was OFFENDED b/c the Prophet PBUH is our Honour) -- rioting and ending up in deaths of Muslims in the process. Why this over-reactions?

If he were walking around, harassing people and beating them and making obscene statements then prison or detention would be okay. But lashes over what you say on internet or what you portray in writing (un-educated writing often it is) --is stupid.

I agree with you on the over-reaction part in cartoon case, pakistanis ended killing dozens of their own, destroying and looting properties of state and people.

 

[Solomon2]

...while we do have issues with hyper-liberal bleeding heart SHMUCKS in Pakistan who IMPOSE their will on others - in this case the dude made a few statements on a stupid online platform. Why should people care so much?

I think the answers can be found in the Saudi-sponsored 2008 Islamic Preparatory Conference on Religious Dialogue: the stated purpose of dialogue is to spread Islam, criticism of Islam is to be considered a thought crime, and special efforts are to be made to prevent Western values from being spread. (I've linked to Saudi Press Agency stories on the 2008 Conference and commented on them here.)

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

I think the answers can be found in the Saudi-sponsored 2008 Islamic Preparatory Conference on Religious Dialogue: the stated purpose of dialogue is to spread Islam, criticism of Islam is to be considered a thought crime, and special efforts are to be made to prevent Western values from being spread. (I've linked to Saudi Press Agency stories on the 2008 Conference and commented on them here.)

well - it is their right to hold such conferences and it is their right to have whatever laws they do have in place b/c it's their country and not ours.....all that was said by me is purely my own opinion - especially the part about free speech in which someone says something that doesnt affect me or MY beliefs.

all this reactionary shyte to me is not necessary...1,000 lash or 2,000 it wont change anything; except maybe the skin tone and pattern on his back.

by the way - in rural America you have people with the EXACT same mindset. So it isnt exclusive to Saudi. Hell -we have our fair share of whackos and flaws too - like the blasphemy law which those who know me well know i am publicly against and not afraid to say it. In America you have people who are willing to be judge jury and imposer/executioner/etc.

I agree with you on the over-reaction part in cartoon case, pakistanis ended killing dozens of their own, destroying and looting properties of state and people.

how many people in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other Muslim countries died during protests against those Danish cartoons by that racist/intolerant artist who wanted to make a "point"

some guy thousands kilometers away does a disgusting, pathetic act....and as a result, people who are insulted and have such weak faith go and throw stones at cars and shops that refuse to partake in the protests. Isnt that blasphemy?

he sure succeeded!!!!!!!

 

[Fukuoka]

KSA oppressing sunnis

 

[notgoodenough]

Disgusting dictatorship. Stone age cavemen. Soon ISIS will come and whip them too.