It is a part of the ongoing judicial and general reforms in KSA. I welcome it as flogging as a punishment in KSA was more symbolic than anything else. However now that KSA is opening up and investing in tourism in a serious and dedicated manner (already in the top 15 of most visited countries in the world and with ample potential to reach the top 10) and reforming in general, it is bad PR for most of the snowflakes/liberals/all types of punishments are a crime type of crowd in the world, in particular in the West. Similar to how many executions in KSA now being performed by a shooting squad rather than the more humane but more "dangerous/scary/controversial" decapitation by a sword. That and the 2-3 Afro-Arab hereditary "executioner families" (their new generations/offspring) losing interest in that profession.
Anyway more obsession about KSA's internal judiciary laws as usual even though KSA has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, nowhere near close to the highest number of executions on an annual basis (184 people in a nation of 35 million - the horror) nor was flagellation in KSA ever used as anything more than a humiliation type of punishment rather than as a punishment that was/is intended to cause grave or serious physical harm. When somebody farts in KSA it becomes world news. Nothing new, either.
Lashing an Iranian for desecrating the Holy Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia by urinating inside the mosque.
A long list of countries from Europe, the Americas, Africa to Asia have been using flag (in its severe form unlike in KSA in the past) and are still using it today.
In countries like Singapore and Malaysia it is a legacy of the British and was/is much more serious.
No need to mention the likes of Iran either and many majority Muslim nations.
I suggest that you rather worry about Erdogan/Turkey jailing the highest number of journalists in the world rather than beating a dead horse. I also suggest to deal with your obsession, it is getting out of hand. You are worse than even the worst Iranian Wilayat al-Faqih regime worshipper on PDF to date.
Is there a way to give this guy some medication or help on PDF for him not to flood every KSA/Arab-related thread on PDF with his one-liners and trolling?
@Slav Defence kindly take a look at his recent user history. I can see, in thread where I have been tagged, that 2-3 users have already told him exactly the same.
70% of KSA's population is below 30 years of age (one of the youngest populations in the world) and a large portion of those have adopted a liberal stance in terms of punishments and other walks of life. Half of the population (women) are probably in favor of abolishing capital punishment as well.
KSA is reaching the liberal/post patriarchal/traditional state that some Western states reached (in Western Europe) starting in the late 1960's and 1970's. Just in a different manner and context. With the increasing globalization etc. and people being familiar with what Western propaganda can do in terms of PR damage (all kind of ridiculous notions about KSA) and people prefer to get away with such laws.
I am in principle not against the removal of flogging as a punishment but I know where this is going to go next - more liberalization etc. It is an inevitable development seen across the entire world but down the road I suspect that there will be a backlash if things go too far as they have in the West in recent decades.
Anyway what matters to me is that the low crime levels continue and the judicial system improves and ensures the rights for everyone involved in a criminal case. KSA has its struggles there like any country but things are moving in the right direction. As the older generation of judges dies/retires, new generations (with different views) will take over (that process has already begun) which will create a further liberalization of the criminal judiciary in KSA. Although I am fairly sure that the capital punishment will remain for the foreseeable future as well as tough laws on drugs, murder, terrorism, armed robbery, rape, violence, attempted murder and other serious crimes.
That and political reforms and a gradual transformation into a constitutional monarchy.