Saudi gang-rape victim is jailed

[GAP]

Saudi gang-rape victim is jailed 
By Frances Harrison BBC News 
Article Link

Saudi women are subject to strict sex segregation laws
An appeal court in Saudi Arabia has doubled the number of lashes and added a jail sentence as punishment for a woman who was gang-raped.

The victim was initially punished for violating laws on segregation of the sexes - she was in an unrelated man's car at the time of the attack.

When she appealed, the judges said she had been attempting to use the media to influence them.

The attackers' sentences - originally of up to five years - were doubled.

Extra penalties

According to the Arab News newspaper, the 19-year-old woman, who is from Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, was gang-raped 14 times in an attack in the eastern province a year-and-a-half ago.

Seven men from the majority Sunni community were found guilty of the rape and sentenced to prison terms ranging from just under a year to five years.

But the victim was also punished for violating Saudi Arabia's laws on segregation that forbid unrelated men and women from associating with each other. She was initially sentenced to 90 lashes for being in the car of a strange man.

On appeal, the Arab News reported that the punishment was not reduced but increased to 200 lashes and a six-month prison sentence.

The rapists also had their prison terms doubled. But the sentences are still low considering they could have faced the death penalty.

The Arab News quoted an official as saying the judges had decided to punish the girl for trying to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media.

The victim's lawyer was suspended from the case, has had his licence to work confiscated, and faces a disciplinary session.
More on link

 

[armyvern]

Unfuckingbelieveable. 

 

[MedTechStudent]

I am aware that no particular country has the right to look down its nose at another.  Or try to reinforce its own specified laws on another nation.  However, please tell me I'm not the only person here who finds this to be complete and utter bull****.  And disciplinary action in the woman's case should be reconsidered!  Its a shame she cannot plead the "haven't I suffered enough plea"  I feel very bad for her, I know its the law over there, but still, human compassion here people!!

 

[tabernac]

And the US would rather (at least it seems that way) go into Iran? IMHO the US needs to be on the same page as its allies when dealing with such matters. Not a good track record with Pakistan being (Musharraf that is (sp?)) the way it is, and the Saudis being as backwards as they are.

 

[ixium]

Aside from the fact that its a complete rediculous charge in the first place(its not like the girl didn't know about)...

Its a shame that judges don't do that here and in the USA. People that try and abuse the media should get tougher sentences. But then again, what would be on TV if every station didn't do 3 hours of what Lindsy did last night.

 

[MedTechStudent]

Maybe she was reaching out to the media because her primal human instinct was telling her that being PUNISHED for being gang raped is, oh whats the word, WRONG?

Who else is she going to reach out to?  She is a woman in a ridiculously sexist country (yes it's their religion but its sexism nonetheless)

I think that's the ONLY thing she could have done was go to the media and tell her story.

 

[ixium]

From the article it said that the other people were punished and that she was punished for being in a non-relatives car, not the fact that she was gang-raped.

Someone that shoots someone else in selfdefense with an illegal weapon. The victim is still going to be charged with having an illegal weapon.

 

[MedTechStudent]

This is true, what I object to is the fact that she got a WORSE sentence after going to the media.  And I want to know why these seven men aren't getting any "lashings"  or their ***** cut off for doing what they did.

It said they could have gotten the death penalty.  I don't agree with being THAT harsh on them but still.  Why didn't they get it?  Because the woman was "asking for it" perhaps by being in a car with a man she wasn't married to?  Just seams wrong that's all

 

[ixium]

Its the same reason that rape criminals here don't get the death sentence.

Different countries, different rules.

 

[MedTechStudent]

You know in some countries a woman is burned alive with the rest of her husbands "possessions" when he dies?

How messed up is THAT?

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

You know in some countries a woman is burned alive with the rest of her husbands "possessions" when he dies?

How messed up is THAT?

Which countries is that?

 

[X-mo-1979]

Its the same reason that rape criminals here don't get the death sentence.

Different countries, different rules.

+1
In their society she did wrong.If she was with a family male member she wouldnt be paying such a hefty prision sentence.She did wrong according to their law.And by them increasing the penalilty they are abviously trying to put a stop to freedom of movement of their young women.To preserve their way of life and culture.I can see how they would think this woman was becoming westernised by traveling with a non family male.

I'm sure she would be on every t.v station here as a victim.However differnt country differnt rules.

 

[Flip]

I wish I could say I was surprised.

Imagine the spectre of Sharia law being used here!
It was actually considered as an alternative legal system in Ontario a few years ago.

As this is the preferred legal system of Islamic extremists, I don't think it's too far a
reach to say Canadians are fighting the spread if this kind of legal system.

I can just see the new recruiting commercials now..... ;D

On the upside - something fairly significant has not been mentioned here.....

Now, there is media to appeal too. This is new.
Popular opinion might actually start to matter.

Cheers!

 

[dapaterson]

Which countries is that?

Look at parts of rural India, for one; the practice is called "Suttee" or "Sati".  In theory, a widow would throw herself on her husband's funeral pyre.  in practice, it may not be voluntary.

Sati was supposed to be voluntary, but it is agreed that in many cases it may not have been voluntary in practice. Leaving aside the matter of social pressures, there are many accounts of widows being physically forced to their deaths.

Pictorial and narrative accounts often describe the widow being seated on the unlit pyre, and then tied or otherwise restrained to keep her from fleeing after the fire was lit. Some accounts say that the woman was drugged. There is one description of men with long poles preventing a widow from fleeing the flames.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(practice)


Of course, as a postmodern member of a Western society, I'm not permitted to condemn such a practice as barbaric.

I thikn I'm still permitted to endorse Napier's view on it, though...

You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.

 

[MedTechStudent]

Which countries is that?

I suppose it was more of a practise then a law, I was mistaken.  This is the only link I could find.

http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring99/parrilla/parr1.htm

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

I suppose it was more of a practise then a law, I was mistaken.  This is the only link I could find.

http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring99/parrilla/parr1.htm

Before we further stereotypes it must be pointed out that this is a very old custom that isn't practiced very much anymore. It is not permitted by the laws of India or any other country that I know of. Hopefully ignorant superstition is being replaced by the rule of law these days.
I agree with the other posters that Saudi Arabia has been getting away with murder in the name of religion....it's not mainstream Islam to subjugate women in the way that this society does. I think their whole system is abhorant and probably a lot of the people (especially the women) who live there would also agree.

 

[armyvern]

+1
In their society she did wrong.If she was with a family male member she wouldnt be paying such a hefty prision sentence.She did wrong according to their law.And by them increasing the penalilty they are abviously trying to put a stop to freedom of movement of their young women.To preserve their way of life and culture.I can see how they would think this woman was becoming westernised by traveling with a non family male.

I'm sure she would be on every t.v station here as a victim.However differnt country differnt rules.

I'm sure she would be on every t.v station here as a victim.However differnt country differnt rules.

We are well aware that those are their rules ... why the hell do you THINK it's on the media here and even posted on this site in the first place? Certainly not so we could all line up and agree with it.

Thanks for pointing out the obvious.

 

[mckee19]

IMHO, i really think this world needs to stop with the country vs country idea. We are all humans on this earth and we have a responsibility to eachother no matter what country, religion or laws. That's how i see it anyways, it's OK to disagree with this custom and even be appalled by it. I realize my world and their world are two completely different worlds but, shouldn't the women have the right to be with whoever she wants? to not be lashed and thrown in prison because she was raped while being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

At one time maybe these practices were accepted but I think it's time they move into the new era.

(edited to state that if she had not been raped while being there, She probably would not be facing the punishment she is. Just wanted to say that before someone replied she is not being punished for being raped, but for being in a strange mans car........Oh and a few spelling mistakes  ;D)

 

[vonGarvin]

Whether something is accepted or not, does not make it right.  If something is accepted, it simply reflects and opinion.  Opinions are as shifting as the sands of time.  What is right is right, irrespective of people's opinion.

What happened to this woman was wrong.  I couldn't give a flying phoque about culture or sensitivities or hundreds of years of "tradition".

 

[armyvern]

Whether something is accepted or not, does not make it right.  If something is accepted, it simply reflects and opinion.  Opinions are as shifting as the sands of time.  What is right is right, irrespective of people's opinion.

What happened to this woman was wrong.  I couldn't give a flying phoque about culture or sensitivities or hundreds of years of "tradition".

Absolutely.

And I can assure you that if this western girl (ie me), should happen to be tasked over there in that nation (Hey ... it's happened!!), then this western girl would be subject to those same laws being applied here.

Gawd forbid my hair show from under my veil ... and worse yet, that I be raped (it doesn't have to be gang raped to be applicable) by someone I was not related to (ie the whole of the population over there) ... because I'd be looking at the same horseshit this victim is now dealing with. Only there'd be embassy's and media involved.

The world needs to move it's collective ass out of the dark ages.