TV Presenter On Death Row For Witchcraft
By SKY NEWS
Added: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 UTC
Thanks to ukvillafan for the link.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20091124/twl-tv-presenter-on-death-row-for-witchc-3fd0ae9.html
Ali Sibat is not even a Saudi national. The Lebanese citizen was only visiting Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage when he was arrested in Medina last year.
A court in the city condemned him as a witch on November 9.
The only evidence presented in court was reportedly the claim he appeared regularly on Lebanese satellite issuing general advice on life and making predictions about the future.
The case is causing outrage among human rights campaigners but has made little news elsewhere despite the ludicrous nature of the charges and the extraordinary severity of Sibat's sentence.
"Saudi courts are sanctioning a literal witch hunt by the religious police," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.
"The crime of witchcraft is being used against all sorts of behavior, with the cruel threat of state sanctioned executions."
Ali Sibat's supporters say he was denied a lawyer at his trial and was tricked into making a confession.
He is not the only victim of Saudi Arabia's literal witch hunt. Human Rights Watch says two other people have been arrested on similar charges in the last month alone.
...
Continue reading
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20091124/twl-tv-presenter-on-death-row-for-witchc-3fd0ae9.html
Tweet
RELATED CONTENT
Calls to Behead Indonesian Atheist...
Presi Mandari - Jakarta Globe 150 Comments
The Violent Oppression of Women in Islam
Narrated by Nonie Darwish - LiveLeak 391 Comments

The Violent Oppression of Women in Islam
WARNING: This video contains violence & graphic content, including two stonings. This is NOT for the faint of heart or those with a weak stomach.
Worrying developments for freedom of...
Various - Various 288 Comments
But the key thing to note in all these cases is that it is no longer just the religious who would inhibit our freedom of expression: increasingly, secular bodies are buying into this invidious idea too, all in the name of 'tolerance' or 'community relations' or 'respect'.
Could You Be A Criminal? US Supports UN...
Abigail R. Esman - Forbes 61 Comments
Could You Be A Criminal? US Supports UN Anti-Free Speech Measure
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani could be...
Saeed Kamali Dehghan - The Guardian 75 Comments
Dispatches - YouTube 32 Comments



















Comments
Comment RSS Feed
Please sign in or register to comment
View Comments Page