Corpun file 12970
Arab News, Riyadh/Jeddah/Dhahran, 2 March 2004
Boys Flogged
Staff Writer
TAIF, 2 March 2004 -- Eleven male students were lashed in front of a girls' school, in fulfillment of a court sentence, reported Al-Jazirah. The students were reported to the authorities after repeatedly harassing female students before and after school. Parents in the area expressed their support for this course of action because of their concern for their daughters' safety. For a first offense, the sentence is lashes while for repeated offenses, the punishment includes a jail sentence.
Copyright: Arab News © 2003 All rights reserved.
Corpun file 12969
Arab News, Riyadh/Jeddah/Dhahran, 2 March 2004
Jail for Black Magic
Staff Writer
JIZAN, 2 March 2004 -- A Shariah court has sentenced a man to four years in jail and 600 lashes for bewitching a female high school student. The man confessed saying he resorted to magic after all other attempts to get the girl to notice him failed "because of her religious beliefs". Relatives of the girl say they were alerted to the man's occult activities when the girl fell ill.
Copyright: Arab News © 2003 All rights reserved.
Corpun file 12968
Arab News, Riyadh/Jeddah/Dhahran, 5 March 2004
5 Years Jail, 2,250 Lashes for Bank Robber
Staff Writer
BAHA, 5 March 2004 - A judge in Baha has sentenced a fraudster to five years in jail and 2,250 lashes after stealing money from his own bank. The thief, who worked as the bank's branch manager, claimed he was the victim of a bank robbery. The man went so far as to self-inflict injuries to make the story look more realistic. The police investigation unveiled the fraud of more than SR1 million when it found the money hidden in the man's bathroom in his apartment.
Copyright: Arab News © 2003 All rights reserved.
Corpun file 12967
Arab News, Riyadh/Jeddah/Dhahran, 9 March 2004
Lashes for Blasphemy
Staff Writer
JEDDAH, 9 March 2004 -- An expatriate was sentenced to two years in jail and 600 lashes for blasphemy. The incident occurred in front of other workers of the same nationality who complained, Okaz reported, and repeated their testimony in court. The flogging will be carried out in 12 sets with 50 lashes given every 15 days.
Copyright: Arab News © 2003 All rights reserved.
Corpun file 12966
Arab News, Riyadh/Jeddah/Dhahran, 13 March 2004
Teacher Given Jail Term, Lashes for Blasphemy
Staff Writer
RIYADH, 13 March 2004 -- A court in Riyadh sentenced a Saudi teacher accused of denouncing religion to three years in jail and 300 lashes. The man was banned from teaching and writing in newspapers.
The court dropped an apostasy charge but found him guilty on other charges of blasphemy. The court took statements from three witnesses under the age of 15 in addition to other teachers at the same school.
According to students, the teacher "allowed" what was religiously forbidden such as homosexuality and adultery. He also referred to the Syrian poet Nizar Qabani as "Nizar (peace be upon him)."
The case began last December with the court hearing a succession of witnesses that praised his morality.
Both the accused and the prosecutor disagree with the verdict.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the teacher said, "I was not surprised at the decision. I have expected it since the court put me in prison before I even went on trial.
The judge wanted to impose the maximum punishment on me. They accepted the case from the prosecutor without any investigation.
Copyright: Arab News © 2003 All rights reserved.
