Anarchy in the court
And another other thing. Did you know there is no rule of law in Saudi Arabia? That judges get to just make it up as they go along? I sure as hell didn’t. But Human Rights Watch says it is so.
During the recent hearings, Judge al-Muhanna of the Qatif court also banned the woman’s lawyer, Abd al-Rahman al-Lahim, from the courtroom and from any future representations of her, without apparent reason…On October 3, King Abdullah announced a judicial reform, promising new specialized courts and training for judges and lawyers. There is currently no rule of law in Saudi Arabia, which does not have a written penal code. Judges do not follow procedural rules and issue arbitrary sentences that vary widely. Often, judges do not provide written verdicts, even in death penalty cases. Judges sometimes deny individuals their right to legal representation.
Well what fun, yeah? Courts run on the principle of ‘whatever the judge happens to feel like.’ Judicial reform sounds slightly overdue.
Hmn, didn’t you get a clue about how sharia works when that iranian judge personally put the noose round a 16 year old girl, Atefeh Sahaleh because she’d ‘insulted’ him in court? This after he’d declared her 22 after viewing her body though she had a birth cert?
I am islamophobe because of sharia, I don’t even care about terrorism really. Sharia is death and humiliation for women and no, it is not possible to reform it.
So, how would one fix Saudi Arabia?
Puhleeze, leave me out of anything that involves explosives or nukes!
There is however a strong case to be made for treating Saudi Arabia (and other sharia-based states that practise gender apartheid), the way the old South Africa was treated – as a pariah state, beyond the pale, the subject of boycotts and opprobium. If I was a conscientious muslim, I would boycott the haj too.
Tingey, I’ve told you more than once not to post your witless bombing fantasies here.
mirax, same here. One of my least favourite tropes is the ‘defense’ of some sharia-hugging group or other that it’s ‘not terrorist,’ as if that were the only possible problem.
Violence Against Women. 185 states have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. 62 have placed reservations on clauses. 9 have not signed. 1 has signed but not ratified – the USA. (Source: Amnesty International)
Re: Saudi Arabia
“The government continued with reform initiatives but these had little impact in improving human rights.
Its reform initiatives need to be by the Kingdom acted upon very urgently, they must by Saudi Arabia be speeded up much more rapidly than is currently occurring.
“There were new violations linked to the “war on terror” and further clashes between security forces and members of armed groups.”
”… [P]eaceful critics of the government were by Saudi Arabia subjected to prolonged detention without charge or trial.”
“There were allegations of torture, and floggings continued to be imposed by the courts.”
Applicable to case in B&W N&C
“Violence against women was prevalent and migrant workers suffered discrimination and abuse.”
Just typical, exactly what one would expect to hear, but not want to indeed.
It is abysmal, inexcusable that, “At least 39 people were executed.”
It beggars belief to find out that “Saudi Arabia was elected to a seat on the new UN Human Rights Council in May.”
For more information, see: Amnesty International Report 2007.
Yeh, I linked to the AI Report in News quite awhile ago.