BBC

RaefBadawiThe activist, Raef Badawi, co-founded the Free Saudi Liberals website, an online forum for public debate.
He was arrested last year and convicted on Monday of setting up a website that undermined general security.
Mr Badawi was originally charged with apostasy, or abandonment of religion, a crime in Saudi Arabia that carries with it the death penalty.
Mr Badawi, a father of three, had confirmed in court that he was a Muslim but told the judge “everyone has a choice to believe or not believe.”
He was convicted of the charges of setting up a website that undermines general security and of ridiculing religious figures.
The judge ordered that the 600 lashes be administered 150 at a time.

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  1. shinichi Post author

    Saudi court imposes jail and lashes for ‘naked dancing’

    BBC

    3 October 2013

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24393374

    A Saudi court has jailed four young men and sentenced them to thousands of lashes after one was filmed dancing naked on a car, Saudi media reported.

    The four were charged with “dancing on a vehicle in public” and “violating public morals”, reports said.

    They have been given the right to appeal.

    Saudi Arabia enforces a strict version of Islamic law that imposes many social restrictions and bans public entertainment.

    The incident took place in Borayda, the capital of al-Qasseem province, north-west of the capital Riyadh, and a video was posted online, media reports say.

    The man accused of dancing naked received the most severe sentence of 10 years in jail, 2,000 lashes and a $13,000 (£8,000) fine, the al-Sharq newspaper said.

    One of his companions received seven years in prison and 1,200 lashes, while the other two were jailed for three years and sentenced to 500 lashes each.

    According to local media, the public prosecutor objected to what he called “light sentences”.

    Correspondents say al-Qasseem province is ultra-conservative and religious police there are the most strict in the kingdom.

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