Saudi Court sentences rape victim to jail and lashing...

I was shocked and appalled to read an article in the online papers this morning of a 19 year old Saudi gang rape victim being sentenced to jail and lashing. The girl was in a car with a male schoolmate when two men entered the car, ordered them to drive to a secluded location, where she was attacked by seven men. Saudi Arabia applies Islamic Shariah law and her act of being in a car (or a public place) with a man who was not her male relative had violated the rigid laws of segregation. For this, she will receive a six month sentence and 200 lashes. This was increased from the 90 lashes originally handed down because of what the court viewed as “her attempt to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media”.

The rapists each received sentences ranging from two to nine years. The lawyer, who represented the girl and who challenged her initial sentence as being unfair, was banned from defending her at the appeal, had his licence to practice law confiscated, and has been summoned for a disciplinary hearing scheduled for later this month.

Ridiculous!!!