Hehehe... inilah cara Islam ngelindungi cewek, cewek yg digangrape dihukum
penjara 6 bulan dan 200 cambukan.

Inidahnya Islam itu. (Si Teddy pasti mikir gua lg muji2 Islam).


http://travel.asiaone.com/Just%2BWoman/News/Women%2BIn%2BThe%2BNews/Story/A1Story20071121-37808.html

Saudi defends jail verdict for rape victim      Wed, Nov 21, 2007
AP (Associated Press)

RIYADH - SAUDI Arabia defended on Tuesday a controversial verdict
sentencing a 19-year-old gang rape victim to six months jail and 200 lashes.

The Shiite Muslim woman had initially been sentenced to 90 lashes after
being convicted of violating Saudi Arabia's rigid Sharia Islamic law on
segregation of the sexes.

In its decision doubling her sentence last week, the Saudi General Court
also roughly doubled prison sentences for the seven men convicted of raping
her, Saudi media said.

*International outcry*

The upholding of a decision to punish the victim triggered international
outcry.

While declining to directly criticise the Saudi Arabia's judiciary, US
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, 'I think when you look at
the crime and the fact that now the victim is punished, I think that causes
a fair degree of surprise and astonishment.'

'But it is within the power of the Saudi government to take a look at the
verdict and change it,' Mr McCormack said.

On Monday, Canada said it would complain to Saudi authorities about the
sentence, described as 'barbaric' by Mr Jose Verger, the Canadian minister
responsible for the status of women.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said the verdict 'not only sends
victims of sexual violence the message that they should not press charges,
but in effect offers protection and impunity to the perpetrators.'

But the Saudi judiciary stood by its decision on Tuesday. 'The Ministry of
Justice welcomes constructive criticism, away from emotions,' it said in a
statement.

The statement also said that the 'charges were proven' against the woman
for having been in a car with unrelated male, and repeated criticism of her
lawyer for talking 'defiantly' about the judicial system, saying 'he has
shown ignorance'.

Because he reached out to the media, the court has banned lawyer Abdul
Rahman al-Lahem from further defending the woman, confiscating his license
and summoning him to a disciplinary hearing later this month.

*Spoken to the press*

The justice ministry implied the victim's sentence was increased because
she had spoken out to the press. 'For whoever has an objection on verdicts
issued, the system allows to appeal without resorting to the media,' said
the statement carried on the official Saudi Press Agency.

The rape took place in 2006. The victim has said it occurred as she tried
to retrieve her picture from a male high school student she used to know.

While in a car with the student, two men got into the vehicle and drove
them to a secluded area. She said she was raped there by seven men, three
of whom also attacked her friend.

The case was referred back to the General Court by an appeals court last
summer, after the woman's lawyer contested the initial verdict, saying it
was too lenient for the rapists and unjust for the victim.

Justice in Saudi Arabia is administered by a system of religious courts
according to the kingdom's strict interpretation of the Sharia. -- AP

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