Saudi Rape victim is sentenced

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. Haven't you just completely contradicted your own line of thinking?

Your whole argument in this thread has been along the lines of, sure, it's an unfair law and the punishment is harsh, but hey, she broke the rule (and therefore brought the results upon herself), right?

So following your line of thinking (though the situation is also outrageous and appalling), the law in GA at the time of the events of the Wilson case did have the age of consent at 16 and she was 15. So he was charged with the "crime" that was on the books at that time under GA law. (applied ridiculously unfairly as it was)

So absolutely, the Genarlow Wilson case is also beyond outrageous. But how does that case in any way reflect upon or equate to the subject at hand and the young woman about to be tied up and lashed (probably to her death) after already being severely gang-raped and imprisoned?

(and therefore brought the results upon herself), No...teh rape (as I have said ad nauseum) is an unfortunate and tragic byproduct of the situation she was in:

And I ask again...which NO ONE seems to have even a speculation for...what was so danged important about the picture that she risked punishment to get? Will anyone here care to venture as to why she did not seek a different course of action to have that picture returned to her?



In relation to Glenarlow Wilson:

I wasn't using it to align it with the current point but since everyone wanted to call the Saudi case 'outrageous' I pointed him out to show how some stupid and outrageous laws exist right here...nothing more...nothing less....and I see you grasped on how outrageous it was.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

In relation to Glenarlow Wilson:

I wasn't using it to align it with the current point but since everyone wanted to call the Saudi case 'outrageous' I pointed him out to show how some stupid and outrageous laws exist right here...nothing more...nothing less....and I see you grasped on how outrageous it was.

Yes, but in this country, media coverage and protest got the law changed and him freed; in her country, it got her a more brutal punishment.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Yes, but in this country, media coverage and protest got the law changed and him freed; in her country, it got her a more brutal punishment.

you and I both know that even here it doesn't always happen that way.

And even still look at how long it took so it was more than just because of some soundbytes on TV.

How many people have still been executed altho many used the media outlet to beg for their release?

We decry that execution of prisoners is bad...but WE STILL DO IT... and altho there are reforms to get the death penalty overhauled, how many innocents have we already put to death or will still put to death (in places where there is no moratorium) while the courts take forever to agree upon changes?

We aren't that much different.....

Hell, look at how fast Megan Williams' case got pushed to the back burner and she did pretty much the exact same thing the Saudi girl did.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

you and I both know that even here it doesn't always happen that way.

And even still look at how long it took so it was more than just because of some soundbytes on TV.

How many people have still been executed altho many used the media outlet to beg for their release?

We decry that execution of prisoners is bad...but WE STILL DO IT... and altho there are reforms to get the death penalty overhauled, how many innocents have we already put to death or will still put to death (in places where there is no moratorium) while the courts take forever to agree upon changes?

We aren't that much different.....

Well now we're veering off into a whole new area of topic that would not only take another thread but a much longer discussion (and no, I don't really want to go there). I was just trying to keep the two issues you brought up tied together and keep consistency in the responses and the arguments you were putting forth.

I think you'd find you and I are much more aligned in the general sense on these issues than you probably think we are.

[honeychile]

An interesting addendum (from Yahoo):

"It also defended the doubling of the sentence against her, insisting she was an "adulteress."

"The victim's husband denied that, stepping forward to defend his wife by calling into a Lebanese television program last week while it aired a debate on the case.

"I'm not lacking in manhood or an Arab man's honor that I would defend a cheating wife," if it were true, he said on the program, which did not give his name.

"I feel that in this catastrophe she exercised bad judgment by meeting this man, but how can you or anyone say she committed adultery?" he said and described the effect of the rape on the woman, including months where she didn't speak or eat and was physically ill.

His public defense reflected a rare openness that has been sparked by the controversy. Usually, families in the Arab world stay firmly silent about rape because of the shame connected to it."

In other words, this is not an "honor" sentence. To continue:

"In Saudi courts, rules of evidence are shaky, sometimes no lawyers are present, and the judges appointed by the king on the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council have complete discretion, including on sentencing, except in cases where Sharia outlines a punishment, such as capital crimes.

"Al-Tariki [Saudi columnist Saleh Ibrahim al-Tariki] pointed to the discrepancies that result. In recent cases, he wrote, three teenagers were beheaded for attacking a gas station and injuring a worker while a government employee who received thousands of riyals as a bribe was only sentenced eight months in prison. A group of men received 12 years in prison for sexual harassment, compared to the shorter sentences for the Girl of Qatif rapists.

"Turning the criminal to a victim is the worst a judge can do," he said. "There are so many questions on the Saudis' minds and the Justice Ministry must answer them, so the average citizen won't lose his mind and think that justice and injustice are the same."

[SydneyK]

Honey, thanks for the link above. It's good to know her husband is supportive of her. And, it's good that the Saudis (at least, according to the columnist) are asking for answers to the court's discrepancies.

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

And I ask again...which NO ONE seems to have even a speculation for...what was so danged important about the picture...?

None of us could possibly know why the girl felt the need to get the picture. And, even if we did, what difference would it make? That's why no one has offered any speculation regarding the photo.

[PiKA2001]

She was pardoned by the Saudi King.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

She was pardoned by the Saudi King.

What great news!!! Here's a link to a story... http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...q0oGAD8TJC23G0