Saudis Continue Defending Indefensible

The Saudi government continues to defend the indefensible. They're trying to put a nice shine on the fact that their justice system thinks it acceptable to give a rape victim 200 lashes, an increase of 110 over her original sentence based on the fact that she was in a vehicle with a male non-relative at the time the rape is said to have occurred.

Her now husband is definitely drinking the Kool-Aid. The husband is delusional as well. He thinks that the Saudi justice system is fair, that it treats women well, and that this is the work of one judge with a vendetta.

The husband of a Saudi rape victim sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison said his wife is "a crushed human being," and blamed one judge with a personal vendetta -- and not the Saudi judicial system -- for treating her as a criminal.

Human rights groups want Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah to drop charges against the rape victim.

But he said Saudi society was respectful of women and he had faith that his wife would get justice.

If he thinks the Saudis treat women respectfully, he ought to get out more. Then again, that's the problem, isn't it. The Saudis don't think what they're doing is wrong, and even this woman's husband is excusing the Saudi justice system for injustices heaped upon injustice.

The Saudis have no problem sacking her lawyer because she questioned the judgment and her lawyer was vigorously defending her rights. That's a no-no. You can't let women get all uppity and question their role in society, or how society treats them. They claim that more evidence came to light after the initial verdict, that resulted in the higher sentence. Let's remember the reason that she was found guilty in the first place - she was in a car with a male who was not her immediate relative. What was the reason for the increased penalty? She smiled at the guy? Maybe even kissed him? This is the kind of thing that would make you run like hell, if there was some place you could actually run to. //You better park your car well out of sight, because if they catch you in the back seat trying to pick her locks, they may send you back to mother in a cardboard box.//

The Saudis essentially gave a slap on the wrist to her attackers - even as they claimed to hike the sentences. Her rapists got sentences of 2-3 years initially, which were increased to 2-9 years. However, note that they can still be free after two years. It's all for show. The woman, however, will have to live with the effects of being beaten to a bloody pulp by 200 lashes if this kangaroo court judgment remains.

Womens' rights groups around the world should be taking up her cause, but the reaction has been muted at best.

The US government continues to deal with the Saudis despite the fact that the Kingdom continues to bankroll terrorist activities and madrassas that preach jihad and hatred of the West. It may be out of convenience and the need to maintain some level of influence, but it's a fleeting concept given that the Saudis interests are in spreading their version of Islam around the world. Oil has given them the wealth to do so, and human rights are a non-factor in their calculus.