Saudi lawbreakers face rough justice Are you in great pain? Its all fine. All OK where you are? All Rights Reserved. In 2015, he was awarded the European Unions top human rights award and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Wilson, by analysing the cutaneous layer and the organs underneath, argued, in times prior to the discovery of the effects of bacteria in the bloodstream, that there was a connection between the external lacerations caused by the lashes and the internal state of the organs. SAUDI ARABIA: Judicial CP. Repeat offenders can lose both hands, and legs are sometimes taken for other offences. It is the extreme rapidity of the strokes -- about four per second -- which is perhaps most surprising, and which makes this seem quite a different kind of thing from the formal and ceremonial manner in which JCP has typically been conducted in the British world (Malaysia, Pakistan, etc. They didnt go to school for several days. One reader describes being himself judicially caned in Saudi Arabia in 1994 (probably a hoax: it was in the Daily Mail). Im afraid so, Ensaf, Raif said. Support 100 years of independent journalism. Capital punishment in Saudi Arabia is a legal penalty. As soon as she had set off with them, I checked my Facebook page. At all events, this punishment is being inflicted by officials in uniform, who are presumably police or judicial officers of some sort. Badawai was sentenced to 10 years in prison, 1,000 lashes and ordered to pay one million Saudi riyals (157,220) for setting up the Saudi Arabian Free Liberals Forum. At paragraph 32 we are informed that the Saudi Arabian judiciary is "completely independent", a claim not supported by various USSD and Amnesty reports. The back of the soldier furnished the script for marking an advancement in the history of the anti-flogging campaign in Britain. We need to give them time to process all this, Robert said. "The strokes, delivered through a thin shirt, are not supposed to leave permanent damage, but to leave painful welts that bleed and bruise.". Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund says a ruling directing its chief to provide information in an antitrust fight between LIV Golf and PGA Tour Inc. is an "extraordinary infringement" on . Thats impossible, I struggled to say. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. The whole day was one big nightmare. Its here that we receive journalists and stay in contact with activists all over the world who are standing by us. His hands were cuffed in front of his body. On 23 March this year, an Islamic court there ordered two women to receive 180 lashes for alleged adultery. 1,000 lashes and a fine of 5,000 Saudi Arabian riyals (approx US$1,000). Saudi Arabia is one of the worlds few absolute monarchies and administers justice based on Shariah law. Its all my fault, he said. One of them had been sentenced to lashes, which were never inflicted. Rights group Prisoners of Conscience claimed the human rights activist died because his health was neglected after doctors recommended he be taken for heart surgery. No. Raif clearly had something else on his mind. If only I could have done something for him! As a result, the Martial Court had sentenced White to 150 lashes. Said Boumedouha, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Programme said: "The world's spotlight is shining on Saudi Arabia. It was full of declarations of solidarity with Raif and me: our friends were shocked at what was due to happen today. Soon it will be all over the net. Theres also supposed to be a video, she warned me. I woke them up at half past seven on the dot, as always. 2023 Cable News Network. That angered Saudi conservatives, who denounced him. I was disconcerted to see his familiar picture behind the face of a blonde newsreader. Something bad happened this weekend. Is it about Dad again? Dodi asked suspiciously. Page updated May 2021, US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices for 1997, US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices for 2000, US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices for 2001, US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices for 2003, US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices for 2004, US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices for 2005, US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices for 2006, End secrecy, end suffering - an Amnesty International briefing, case of 35 men sentenced to jail and lashes, UN Committee Against Torture, 10 May 2002, The Saudi Media Debates Flogging by the Saudi Religious Police, UN Human Rights Commission: 1997: Thematic Reports, 1994: Unwelcome "guests": The plight of Iraqi refugees, November 1997: Behind Closed Doors: Unfair Trials In Saudi Arabia. Several press reports of notable JCP cases during 2005 are summarised, all of them already covered by me in The Archive. However, no news reports to that effect have come to hand. Badawi received his first 50 lashes in January, but subsequent floggings have been postponed. today front of Saudi embassy in Paris for #RaifBadawi pic.twitter.com/ISc0l6ahiu, - Said Boumedouha, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Programme, IBT UK Morning Brief - Let the best of International News come to you. Well, in Saudi Arabia, the punishment for fornication, however, is 100 lashes. It was too much for me. Tempering his enthusiasm, he said, were what he called the many other aspects of the kingdoms justice system that remain problematic, including the ability to hold people for months without charge, execution by beheading and the lack of a unified penal code. Saudi Arabia Abolishes Flogging as a Punishment for Crime The most high-profile flogging in recent years was of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and. His punishment began last week outside al-Jafali mosque in Jeddah after the Friday prayers. Saudi Arabia has abolished flogging as a legal punishment in response to criticism of its use of corporal punishment, the Supreme Court has announced. Why Larry Summers is moving left with age, The Lockdown Files only confirm every suspicion we had about the pandemic government, Undermining Sue Grays integrity wont save Boris Johnson, Universal Credit falls short of covering the bare essentials. He couldnt tell me how things would go after that. Committing adultery can lead to death by stoning. A regimental farrier kept on flogging until the fiftieth; he then handed over to his colleague so that he could have a rest. Sighting from the video, the lady who had landed herself into this dire trouble had received over 70 lashes with less than 20 more to take whiles the scene was been recorded. Flogging, whipping or lashing are all used in Saudi Arabia and can be administered for offences such as spending time with the opposite sex, being gay or even for bringing liqueur chocolates into the country. Never before seen Amazon tribe filmed by drone, Camera catches mailman stealing family's tomatoes, Video shows self-driving Uber hit pedestrian, Racist chants caught on camera at university, Policemen catch child falling from balcony, Camera captures kangaroo collide with cyclist, Surveillance shows Turpin siblings' escape, Million-dollar jewel heist caught on camera, See terrifying boat crash caught on video. After Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was arrested and sentenced to prison and 1,000 lashes, Ensaf Haidar wondered what to say when the person you love tells you that hes going to be abused in the most horrible way. Did he get medical treatment for his wounds? It was unpredictable, and depended on variables such as the type of whips, the number of knots that the whips may form and, the external temperature. Copyright C. Farrell 2006-2021 If this is true, the paucity of such photographs might be explained by the fact that anyone caught taking pictures of such events is himself severely punished, according to some anecdotal evidence. In the above video, IBTimes UK explains five of the most barbaric punishments you can receive in Saudi Arabia. A Warner Bros. 3 February 2015 What actually happens when you get flogged Thanks to Saudi Arabia's brutal and inhumane treatment of blogger Raif Badawi, flogging as a punishment is back in the news. Some of those offenses are now seen as less grave in Saudi Arabia because of changes pushed through by Prince Mohammed. Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison. Raifs head was bowed. I nervously fumbled a cigarette from the pack in front of me. Neom: International companies ignore questions over human rights risks, Neom: Saudi Arabia jails nearly 50 tribespeople for resisting displacement, Morocco to hand over Saudi man facing extradition, says brother, Abdullah al-Hamid, pioneering Saudi human rights defender, dies in custody, Amnesty says Premier League 'risks being a patsy' as Saudi Newcastle buyout edges closer, Saudi Arabia has carried out 800 executions under King Salman: Report. No one in our house ever talked about the subject again. All Rights Reserved. Quick and essential guide to domestic and global politics from the New Statesman's politics team. Our weekly culture newsletter from books and art to pop culture and memes sent every Friday. Tennessee becomes first state to outlaw drag shows on public grounds, near schools. ), where a very specific number of strokes is delivered slowly and carefully. He gave me a note saying that Im not yet fit enough to be whipped again. Thank God, I said. after they tried to take back property that ISIS fighters had stolen from their homes Women flogged thirty times. In earlier years' editions it was "frequently". He was convicted on multiple charges, including "breaking allegiance" to the Saudi ruler, "inciting disorder" and seeking to disrupt state security, Amnesty International said. If authorities ignore widespread criticism and unashamedly continue with the flogging of Raif Badawi, Saudi Arabia would be demonstrating contempt for international law and disregard for world opinion. The farriers used the cat o nine tails, a tool made up of nine knotted thongs of cotton that could be found in veterinary shops. At least in Saudi cities, it is much more common to see women socializing openly with men and not covering their hair or faces than it was a few years ago. Amnesty International Report 1997 UN Human Rights Commission: 1997: Thematic Reports UK prime minister David Cameron personally urged Saudi authorities not to administer the 350 lashings that 74-year-old oil executive Karl Andree was sentenced to for being caught with bootleg wine in his car. Did you encounter any technical issues? They, they I couldnt go on because with every word I wanted to say I immediately felt the tears welling up. A recent case in Saudi Arabia that has been covered around the world concerns the blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for subversion. A reader of the Times wrote to the editor that had the regimental doctor put his fingers on Whites wrist he would have found that at each lash his pulse faltered. Video: Women 'thieves' receive 30 lashes each on the orders of a sharia judge. Stephane De Sakutin/Agence France-Presse Getty Images. In very quick succession he took the blows all over the back of his body: he was lashed from shoulders to calves, while the men around him clapped and uttered pious phrases. As one of the witnesses told the coroner during the inquiry, blood had appeared between Whites shoulders after twenty lashes had been given. The most high-profile flogging in recent years was of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes on charges of insulting Islam. Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters. It can be seen clearly that the official administering this whipping does not have a book under his arm (see commentary above). Charges: Violating Islamic values and propagating liberal thought. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Hundreds of lashes could previously. Less than a week after the end of the inquest, the Duke of Wellington established a limit of fifty lashes to be given for military corporal punishment. The children eagerly join in. Quoted in this Nov 2007 American TV report, Human Rights Watch went so far as to say that flogging was "almost always" a component of any Saudi court sentence. 25 Feb/23. In one or two reports the offender was said to be tied upright to a post. CNN's Becky Anderson reports. (Image credit: Melissa Golden) By Michele . What was I supposed to say? I surely hope he intends to go after the whole justice system, because it is very flawed in both regulations and implementation, Mr. Coogle said of Prince Mohammed. SAUDI Arabia's medieval punishments are in the spotlight as the country's investment fund looks to set to take over Newcastle United. The same information is repeated in the 2002 USSD report. Since then our little flat in Sherbrooke has turned into a campaign office for Raifs liberation. Everythings great, but the prison warders are very bad people. In April, a Yemeni blogger living in Saudi Arabia was arrested for advocating for equality for LGBT people. A newsletter showcasing the finest writing from the ideas section, covering political ideas, philosophy, criticism and intellectual history - sent every Wednesday. The first 50 lashes. Ensaf Haidar believes a YouTube video shows her husband receiving a public flogging for "insulting Islam." By continuing to dole out this inhuman punishment the Saudi Arabian authorities are flagrantly flouting basic human rights principles.". Death sentences are almost exclusively based on the system of judicial sentencing discretion (), following the classical principle of avoiding Sharia-prescribed penalties when possible.In recent decades, the government and the courts have increasingly issued these sentences, reacting to a rise in violent crime during the 1970s. A circular issued by the Ministry of Justice and sent to the courts of the kingdom reports an abolition demanded for years by human rights organizations, which, however, harbors a small print: lashes will continue to be applied in crimes such as adultery, attack on . We see roughly 50 lashes, though nobody appears to be counting. All Rights Reserved. HRW describes the implement used as "a bamboo whip about 7 feet long". Women flogged thirty times in Syria for stealing, Moment a 'sonic boom' is heard across central England, Earth-shaking 'sonic boom' that rocked houses caught on driveway camera, Shocking moment out-of-control truck veers of the road, CCTV captures women leaving the flat after killing Saul Murray, Drunk-driver jailed for 21 years after hit-and-run kills mother of one, British man arrested in Colombia with 23 kilos of cocaine in suitcase, Heart-stopping moment a pedestrian is almost hit by a 70mph train, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visits Russian soldiers in Ukraine, Nicola Peltz-Beckham shares funny video of herself dancing with husband, Philip Dalidakis reveals how late Shane Warne saved his life, Ron reacts to Shaq's comments about him on Love Island 2023, Bec and Leyton Hewitt's daughter Ava, 12, embarks on TV career, Riley Keough shares her new singing habits with Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera's daughter draws crayola picture on tour, Miley Cyrus shares a teaser for new Backyard Sessions special, Daryl Braithwaite returns Harry Styles' 'ultimate compliment', Raiders star Jordan Rapan is grilled over brutal hit in match, Souness and Robson joke they'd kick players wearing pink boots, Graeme Souness questions Van Dijk's leadership capabilities, Liverpool v Man United: Jurgen Klopp press conference ahead of match, Man City manager Pep Guardiola speaks ahead of match against Newcastle, Steve Cooper talks about Premier League match against Everton, Toronto Raptors post cringe-worthy about why girls run the world, Erik ten Hag ready for 'next step' with Man Utd by beating top four rival Liverpool at Anfield, Cast of The Crown seen filming scenes for the Golden Wedding, Moment fellow diner serenades Pippa Middleton in London restaurant, Mike Tindall in fun behind-the-scenes clip shoot for podcast tour, Dragon's Den: Entrepreneurs reveal they raised 125k from family, 'Super fit' 74-year-old Liverpool woman flaunts her toned figure, Woman who broke her back after gym accident learns to walk again, Plastic surgeon reveals the one exercise that makes you AGE FASTER, Woman invites 65 random men from dating apps to a house party, New crew celebrates as they arrive at International Space Station, First look into mysterious 30ft-long corridor in the Great Pyramid, Earth's geological past: A Model reveals Earth's surface change, SpaceX Dragon crew blast off for trip to International Space Station, Musk reveals renewable energy 'Master Plan 3' at Tesla Investor Day, Breakup of the asteroid Dimorphos after being hit by NASA spacecraft, Scientists think mythical 'hafgufa' was a Bryde's whale feeding, Machine enters the body to 3D print living cells on damaged organs, Wheel of Fortune contestant answers food puzzle wrong, Surveillance shows students forcing peers to pledge allegiance to BLM, Rebel Wilson shows off diamond ring after PROPOSING to her GF, Jennifer Aniston opens up about her relationship with sleep, Woman shares little-known dishwasher hack to get more space, Lizzo bangs her head on stage covering 'Du hast' by Rammstein, Bruce Willis' wife shares sweet throwback clip from before diagnosis, Camila McConaughey shares horrifying turbulence aboard flight, Brooklyn Beckham attempts fettuccine recipe with the wrong pasta, Stephen Bear posts TikTok video of him with fiance before sentencing, Men in hoodies recite Hail Marys walking through Newtown, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race, Dacia's new Jogger estate transforms interior space into a bedroom, Buster Murdaugh 'in shock' finding out about Paul and Maggie's death, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, Alex Murdaugh unanimously found GUILTY of murder of wife and son, Rebel Wilson reveals she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days, Moment Russian T-80s blown up after running into Ukrainian minefield, Moment killer casually executes homeless man on St Louis sidewalk, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles, Mother of boy who dropped Quran says he has received death threats, Brave Ukrainian soldier tries to fight off Russian fire, Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Video: Women 'thieves' receive 30 lashes each on the orders of a sharia judge after they tried to take back property that ISIS fighters had stolen from their homes, Do not sell or share my personal information. The Saudi supreme court said the latest reform was intended to "bring the kingdom into line with international human rights norms against corporal punishment". By Diana Garrisi One will surely land himself into hot waters for being under the influence of alcohol on the plane en route to Saudi Arabia. On occasions they have been carried out in public, as in this 1970s photograph and also this one. Saudi Justice Through British Eyes How was Raif now, I wondered. Amnesty International document. But the children behaved as if they hadnt heard their words at all. This was provoked by a 1997 case in which two British nurses were convicted of murder (but later released). These were divided into instalments: when the skin had started to heal it was time to whip again. Sighting from the video, the lady who had landed herself into this dire trouble had received over 70 lashes . Saudi Arabia's most barbaric punishments: From flogging to eye-gouging IBTimes UK 177K subscribers Subscribe 200K views 7 years ago From flogging to eye-gouging, IBTimes UK looks at some of the. In the past, they were often carried out in public, adding a social stigma to the physical pain inflicted. International pressure is crucial, I believe if we keep up the support it will eventually pay off. A post shared by News Stand (@smartandstuck). Cites several whipping cases, with some detail of how particular floggings were carried out. But a video of the first installment, in front of a mosque in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, set off international outrage and Mr. Badawi was never caned again. Sign up and stay up to date with our daily newsletter. It is certainly clear in one of the two available photographs (see above) that the operative is raising his caning arm high and has no book under it. I didnt know what to say. But Ensaf, he said soothingly. They were not supposed to break the skin and, as the Lancet reported, experienced hands knew that the lash should have fallen in the small area between the shoulders only. A weekly newsletter helping you fit together the pieces of the global economic slowdown. He looked thin. Right hands have been cut off at the wrist as punishment for theft in Saudi Arabia. His punishment began. There have been several other reported and unreported convictions of journalists and activists in Saudi Arabia who have attempted to voice their concerns on Islam or the Saudi culture. But worst of all was the feeling of helplessness. Its indescribable, watching something like that being done to the person you love. He was awarded the European parliament's Sakharov human rights prize the following year. Then all of a sudden we received the call we were so desperate for. US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices for 1997 Badawai will continue to be flogged for the next 19 weeks unless a prison doctor finds him in poor health to continue. Anyone can read what you share. Robert did his best to explain what had happened. Here, in an excerpt from her new book, Raif Badawi, The Voice of Freedom: My Husband, Our Story (Other Press), she describes learning that his sentence would begin, and how she told her children of their fathers fate. Saudi judges can still order the beheading of murderers and drug dealers, but lower-level offenders will now be spared the rod and will get fines or jail time instead. Judicial floggings continued in 1997. Various references to flogging, including a 1996 case in which two secondary school students were whipped for assault in front of their fellow-pupils and teachers. Children talk to each other. However, some observers, notably Amnesty International (see external links below), reject these claims as mere propaganda by the regime; they say this Koranic rule is by no means always followed, and suggest that the floggings, at least in some cases, do in fact cause injury to the recipient. And I didnt want to burst out crying in front of them. The violence of the blows almost made me suspect as much. He didnt level any accusations at me. Copyright 2023 IBTimes UK. How are you and the children? he asked. In the future, judges will have to choose between fines and/or jail sentences, or non-custodial alternatives like community service, the court said in a statement seen by AFP on Saturday. It all looks decidedly informal and ad hoc and arbitrary, but then the whole Saudi system is very ad hoc and arbitrary. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Cites a Human Rights Watch claim that "judges routinely issued sentences of thousands of lashes as punishment, often carried out in public". Defend labour rights Take the case of the small Arab emirate of Sharjah. Scroll down to "Migrant workers in Saudi Arabia" for a first-person description of a Filipino woman's judicial caning. Ensaf Haidar believes a YouTube video shows her husband receiving a public flogging for "insulting Islam." He is being held up (somewhat incompetently) against the back of a police van and punished with what is either a somewhat rigid whip or an extremely flexible long cane. Badawai is not the only Saudi activist to have faced punishment over exercising his right to freedom of speech. So we have witnesses. On Sunday evening, however, the subject was still in the headlines, and I wondered whether I would even be able to send the children to school the next day. Sentenced to 40 lashes for wearing a miniskirt in the privacy of a friend's home in Iran, Tala Raassi describes the punishment that changed her life. There are highly selective quotes from various naive letters to British newspapers upholding tough sentences. The Saudi authorities arrested Mr. Badawi in 2012 and put him on trial on charges that included cybercrime and disobeying his father. A man is seen being whipped in public. 02:28 - Source: CNN. Have you heard about the attack in Paris? I asked him. The principal had already assembled a council of teachers, a social worker and the school psychologist. 1) Flogging Flogging, whipping or lashing are all used in Saudi Arabia and. I sat on my sofa, wrapped my arms around my legs and wept. beheading nearly twice as many people as Isis, Karl Andree: David Cameron urges Saudi Arabia to abandon grandfather flogging and drops prison contract, 74-year-old British pensioner to be publicly flogged in Saudi Arabia for carrying alcohol, Ali Mohammed al-Nimr crucifixion: Defiant Saudi Arabia rejects international 'interference' in protester's crucifixion, Indian parents kill daughter after finding pregnancy test kit, After the silence, body bags: Turkish town counts its dead, Church of England backs blessings for same-sex couples, Fighter planes for Ukraine, a complex challenge for Kyiv's allies, Findings from Reboot reveals people working from home offices are more productive. Different reports suggest that, as one might expect under a regime where the rule of law is a wholly alien concept, there are no formal procedures and little consistency about the modus operandi: either a whip, a leather strap, or a long cane may be used; sometimes the lashes are confined to the buttocks, more often it seems they are spread out from the neck to the ankles, and usually with the prisoner simply lying face down on the ground. Lots of people had shared my message and passed it on. "Raif called me. I suppose you thought to punish me for not writing, said Private Frederick John White in a letter to his brother on 25 June 1846. OK? OK, I replied. He did not mention the flogging. But they remained persistently silent, even among themselves.