Topic: Dittohead Dogma
Saudi Arabia: Flogging Used to Silence Protesters
Cancel Sentences That Violate Convention Against Torture
(New York, January 17, 2005) The Saudi government should act immediately to stop the sentence of flogging imposed on 15 anti-government protestors, Human Rights Watch said today.
For all the Saudi government's promises of reform, this sentence is a terrible disappointment. The Saudi government is flogging those who attempt to exercise the basic rights to free speech and association.
Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch
Printer Friendly Version
Also Available in
Free Email Newsletter
Contribute to Human Rights Watch
The protestors, including one woman and two foreign nationals, were among 21 people who had been arrested following a public demonstration on December 16 in Jeddah. The protest called for an elected government, independent judiciary and a new Islamic constitution. A religious court sentenced them to a range of 100 to 250 lashes and two to six months imprisonment for taking part in demonstrations against the government.
In an unusual move, the government on January 11 publicly announced the sentence. Previously protestors and political dissidents have been sentenced to jail terms and fines, but not flogging. When religious courts have handed down flogging sentences, it has usually been for morals offenses such as adultery, and the government has not taken the step of publicly announcing the sentence.
"For all the Saudi government's promises of reform, this sentence is a terrible disappointment," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "The Saudi government is flogging those who attempt to exercise the basic rights to free speech and association."
