Saudi Arabia has publicly flogged. That is what the country's human rights commission said. Experts believe that the abolition of this long-standing practice of punishment has given rise to reforms in Saudi Arabia.
It is learned that the King and influential Prince Mohammed-bin-Salman of Saudi Arabia has taken steps to bring a series of financial, administrative and cultural reforms in the country. From now on, instead of flogging, the punishment will probably be imprisonment or a fine, or both at once. Abdullah al-Hamid, a 69-year-old Saudi human rights activist, died in police custody a few days ago. He was allegedly beaten to death with a whip. Human rights organizations have been vocal since the incident. Many feel that whipping has been banned because of this protest. It should be noted that in Islamic countries, there was a provision for flogging if convicted of extramarital affairs, murder and even minor theft. In many cases the convict was sentenced to more than a hundred lashes. Many could not bear the pain and died.
In this context, the President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, Awad Alawad, commented that stopping whipping is a landmark step in defending the country's human rights. Medieval customs still prevalent in Saudi Arabia include amputation of the hand as punishment for theft, beheading for murder or terrorism. These have not yet been declared illegal. Adam Kugal, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch, said the whipping would be welcomed, but that the change should have been made long ago.
It is learned that the King and influential Prince Mohammed-bin-Salman of Saudi Arabia has taken steps to bring a series of financial, administrative and cultural reforms in the country. From now on, instead of flogging, the punishment will probably be imprisonment or a fine, or both at once. Abdullah al-Hamid, a 69-year-old Saudi human rights activist, died in police custody a few days ago. He was allegedly beaten to death with a whip. Human rights organizations have been vocal since the incident. Many feel that whipping has been banned because of this protest. It should be noted that in Islamic countries, there was a provision for flogging if convicted of extramarital affairs, murder and even minor theft. In many cases the convict was sentenced to more than a hundred lashes. Many could not bear the pain and died.
In this context, the President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, Awad Alawad, commented that stopping whipping is a landmark step in defending the country's human rights. Medieval customs still prevalent in Saudi Arabia include amputation of the hand as punishment for theft, beheading for murder or terrorism. These have not yet been declared illegal. Adam Kugal, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch, said the whipping would be welcomed, but that the change should have been made long ago.
