By now, everyone has heard of the Saudi girl of Qatif, who was gang raped by seven men who found her in a car with an unrelated male in 2006. By now, everyone has also heard that she was sentenced by the court to initially receive 90 lashes for being in the car in the first place. By now, everyone has heard that her recent sentence appeal resulted in the number increasing to 200, with 6 months imprisonment. By now, everyone has heard that her rapists got 2 to 9 year sentences. And by now, everyone has had time to experience some sort of internal outrage on the entire case.
But today, to pour salt on the wound, the girl’s lawyer, Abdul-Rahman al-Lahem, who has had his law license revoked, is facing trial for voicing his disagreement with his client’s sentencing and thus insulting the Supreme court and of course, hurting the country’s image. Since this whole thing started Al-Lahem has used the media to shine a spotlight on the idiotic sentencing of the court. But in the court’s opinion, it isn’t this case nor the one million other Saudi mishaps that sully the country’s image, but rather one outspoken defense lawyer.
I’ve never heard him speak but I’ve actually grown to respect the guy for the cases he chooses. He’s defended a Saudi professor who was accused of holding views that are offensive to Islam and an innocent woman who was kidnapped and beaten by the religious police.
Al-Lahem could be disbarred and may never be able to practice law in Saudi Arabia.
But hey, if that happens, then he’ll always be welcomed in other Arab nations. In Jordan he can prosecute honor crime perpetrators and go mad from the 2 year sentences of the court. And if that gig doesn’t work out, there’s always Sudan and teddy bears named Mohammad.
A country’s image.
Sigh.
The things that distract from the bigger issues.
Voicing disagreement? That removes the whole point of being a lawyer!
This is the results of the Saudi family ‘s support to wahhabism school of thoughts,for more than 60 years the Saud family supported ,encouraged and financed wahhabism in order to control the people of that country.
ridiculous judicial systems! As much as I am outraged by this case, i am still disgusted by the US hypocrisy. Living in the US, I see MANY cases where the innocent are given a life sentence and even the death penalty. Others are put in prison as the result of fabricated charges or without substantial evidence. And this is done to US citizens themselves.You can see more evidence by visiting the Innocence Project website. But even more outrageous is the ZERO rights that Guantanamo Bay prisoners have in order to defend themselves. Gtmo prisoners as well as those declared enemy combatants within the US dont even get A TRIAL! they can neither see their charges nor the evidence nor the witnesses, they cannot defend themselves WHATSOEVER! do you know how many innocent individuals are in Guantanamo!?
AlurduniAlhurr, please! this is not the result of “wahhabism,” it is the result of our Arab repressive regimes. There is no such thing as “wahhabism.” It is a term coined by the west, just like their use of the word “terrorism.” ( i am not denying that terrorists exits,they certainly do! but the ease with which is used against anyone they despise is ridiculous) Mohammed bin Abd Alwahhab was a scholar who did NOT advocate what we see today. Saudi Arabia does NOT follow sharia (correctly) as they claim. I am not Saudi, I am from your country, and this is my unbiased view.
ma,,while I acknowledge the repressive nature of the Arab dictatorial regimes but i think you are not right about the Wahhabi schools of thoughts and it’s practices …..
here is a glimpse of the relationship between Al Saud family and Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab
there is nothing that can be done to hurt the KSA image … there isnt anything worst than the real image …
Wallah 7aram a country with all KSA has got and its like this … really depressing