Friday 9 August 2013

7 years jail and 600 lashes for insulting Islam

People often wonder why there aren't more "moderate Muslims" calling for reformation of the more violent aspects of their faith.
Here is one answer.
Badawi founded the online platform in 2008 “to encourage debate on religious and political matters in Saudi Arabia,” according toHuman Rights Watch.  The group also said that the judge affirmed that “liberalism is akin to unbelief.”
For that fine and moderate, and liberal, aim, he gets lashed and thrown in jail.
In Saudi it's a crime to disobey your father; to leave Islam; to criticise Islam or even to encourage debate about it; to love someone of the same sex; to be Christian; to be Jewish; to be Zoroastrian; to drive a car, or leave home without a male relative if you have two X chromosomes.
And so on, and so dreary on.
This is the US' principal "ally" in the Middle East.