Fifteen Saudis ... sentenced to prison term and lashings for protest

[RamboLiberal]

Moderators - whole headline was too long - wanted to make sure protest in headline.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2005/01/13/international1527EST0616.DTL

A religious court has sentenced 15 Saudis, including a woman, to as many as 250 lashes each and up to six months in prison for participating in a protest against the monarchy, judicial officials said Thursday.

Men are lashed in public in Saudi Arabia but women receive the punishment inside a prison in the presence of female workers. Lashing is an unusual punishment for dissidents challenging the monarchy or calling for reforms. They usually just receive prison sentences.

A judge issued the verdict Monday against 15 of 21 people arrested during last month's protest. Individuals were sentenced to one to six months in prison and from 100 to 250 lashes, a judicial official in Riyadh said on condition of anonymity. He would not disclose the individual sentences.

The trial of the remaining six will take place after a month, he said.

The daily Okaz newspaper on Tuesday quoted the Saudi prosecutor-general as saying he will appeal for a tougher punishment for the dissidents.

And * is telling Bandar Bush he wishes he could do that.

[aden_nak]

1. Remember. Those are our allies.

[Megahurtz]

3. Yeah, Bush's allies.

[onecent]

2. After 100 lashes who would have enough 'body' left to serve out any term?

Or for that matter who would even care to live. My Lord this is inhumane.

I have such a difficult time dealing with this ole world these past few years. Bring back the 90's!!!!!!

[MidwestTransplant]

4. Watch out innaguration protesters

[txaslftist]

5. Don't complain...you're tax dollars have been supporting...

this regime for the past several decades. These are America's friends in the Middle East, our second best friends behind Israel. See, this is how we spread democracy.

House of Saud/House of Bush

Welcome to the new royalty.

[jdj]

6. so why alla sudden these stories getting covered by the U.S. press?

One guess.

The rape of ANWR looms on the horizon.

Bad, bad Saudis and their dirty oil... good, good polar bears and their pretty white coats. Mmmmm, arctic oil, mmm, mmm, good.

[fob]

7. And gonzalez says that's not torture so it can happen here

[mitchum]

8. I long for the day that the House of Saud is put up against 30,000 walls

bloodsucking, hypocritical despots

[Erika]

9. We're bringing democracy to the MidEast?

Yeah, sure.

Our culture is our culture, theirs is theirs, and I don't think we will change it in those countries who are strict Muslims.

[chelsea0011]

10. Hey, at least the woman weren't accused of adultery and beheaded

They're the good guys. Right?

[Rose Siding]

11. hmm...No statement from the Bush administration?

Funny, because I'm sure if Castro announced the beating of dissidents, Bush would be strapping on his big ol' freedom shoes and breaking out the accordians for a night of democracy dancing

[Vidar]

12. Not only Bush's allies but apparently his mentors.