Saudi Mazen Abdul-Jawa Sentenced For TV Sex Talk To 5 Years, 1,000 Lashes

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — A Saudi court on Wednesday convicted a man for publicly talking about sex after he bragged on a TV talk show about his exploits, sentencing him to five years in jail and 1,000 lashes, his lawyer said.

Talking about sex publicly is a taboo in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia.

Lawyer Sulaiman al-Jumeii said he plans to appeal the court's ruling and is confident the sentence against his client, which includes a ban on travel and talking to the media for five years after his release, will be revoked.

The lawyer said there is no specific law in the Saudi penal code "that defines punishment for talking or bragging." He said he assumes the judge based his decision on Islamic law, which forms the general basis of the justice system and stipulates that people should not talk about engaging in immoral behavior.

Al-Jumeii maintains that his client, Mazen Abdul-Jawad, was duped by the Lebanese LBC satellite channel which aired the talk show and was unaware in many cases he was being recorded.

"I hope you will not consider the case closed," the lawyer said. "I will continue pursuing the TV channel, even if no one stands by me, until it gets the punishment it deserves."

The program, which aired July 15 on LBC and was seen in Saudi Arabia, scandalized this conservative country where such frank talk is rarely heard in public. Some 200 people filed legal complaints against Abdul Jawad, who works for the national airline.

The program, "Bold Red Line," begins with Abdul-Jawad, dubbed a "sex braggart" and "Casanova" by the media, describing the first time he had sex at 14. He then leads viewers into his bedroom, dominated by red accessories, and then shows off blurred sex toys.

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He is later joined by three male friends for a discussion on what turns them on.

Abdul-Jawad's lawyer maintains his client was referring to other people's sexual experiences and the toys were provided by the TV station.

The government moved swiftly in the wake of the case, shutting down LBC's two offices in the kingdom and arresting Abdul-Jawad.

The other three men on the show were also convicted of discussing sex publicly and sentenced to two years imprisonment and 300 lashes each, according to al-Jumeii.

The case itself was also tried before the wrong court, maintains the lawyer, who says it should have been heard by a specialized court at the Information Ministry qualified to issue decisions regarding editing, dubbing and other technical issues related to the case.

In his statement, al-Jumeii said the decision in the case was made "under pressure from public opinion" due to the media frenzy surrounding it.

He also said he will continue pursuing a lawsuit he has filed against LBC.

The kingdom, which is the birthplace of Islam, enforces strict segregation of the sexes. An unrelated couple, for example, can be detained for being alone in the same car or having a cup of coffee in public.

Saudis observe such segregation even at home, where they have separate living rooms for male and female guests.

Comments

[antitos]

A laughable country in every way...would be funny if it weren't so disgusting ... at least those guys are not beheaded like homosexuals. The only thing seperating Saudi Arabia from being among the absolute poorest failing states is the oil beneth their feet. People who don't have to work don't have to think also apperently

[NeoconGal]

A good think they are not our allies.

[Wisdo]

Its ok they are our allies and thus "the good guys"

y'know? like Israel. they can do no wrong.

911 was saudis.

[lightningbolt]

Until these totalitarian barbarians are removed from power, there will be no peace in the Middle East.

[Academic]

Hasn't the US some morally wonderful, personal allies?

Professor Dr. Stanley Collymore.

[Alarmist]

I understand the situation of women in Saudi Arabia, and locale, but this story is about a man, right? Why does the photo show three burqua'd women, implying that the story is about their oppression? This time, it's about HIS oppression.

[WorkingClass]

How do you know they are women?

[hanoum]

I generally check out the shoes and the hands.

[digdeeper]

So, what I want to know is how come we sell armaments to the Saudis and support this tyranical regime that abuses human rights big time and yet conduct a war against the Taliban describing then as "A tyranical regime that abuses human rights big time". I'm not for either group but we sure speak with forked tongue.

[USA2Sense]

And anyone expects this man to survive 1000 lashes - to even serve a sentence in jail???? LOL!

[duxguts]

David Letterman wouldn't last long there.

[iLoveOldNY]

Neither would anyone else I know, or don't know.

[americanexile]

What an absolute horrible place to live. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

What is the matter with these "people"?

[Paula Ann]

it sure isn't paradise, but i never felt the need to watch over kids like a hawk (as i do here) because child m0lesters are b.ehe.aded in ksa. for that peace of mind i am eternally grateful.

[iLoveOldNY]

That's true. They have the ability to safely grow up to be totally ignorant people.

[rudolph]

God preserve us from the godly.

[Grant Morrison]

..

Ah, it's a truly MODERN country and a valuble ally.

Wait a minute.....?

.

[StJames]

Another thuggish regime supported by the U.S. Ya gotta love our foreign policy, it's truly unique in that it doesn't benefit us in the long run and it doesn't benefit the citizens of other nations.

[Superstretch18]

Exactly why separation of church and state is so important...

[seattle music]

It's not merely important, it's the bedrock of our democracy.

Without freedom of religion for every human being, we are nothing more than slaves of the dominant religious hierarchy -- no matter how corrupt and evil they might be.

This is why the Talibangelical pseudo-Christians in this country want to force a narrow religious perspective on everyone else -- exactly what Jefferson warned us against in the 1700's.

The oppression of this one man is the tip of the iceberg in Saudi Arabia. Every man, woman and child is enslaved by their religious leadership -- religious thought police can strike anyone at any time for offending the leadership in any way, large or small.

Meanwhile, corrupt imams can take a twelve-year-old girl to some rich monster's house, "marry" them so he can legally rape her all night, "divorce" them in the morning, and take a heavy bribe with him back to his legal child brothel, all with the blind-eyed blessing of the religious hierarchy. More than one female witness has testified to this practice.

But hey, as long as no one is TALKING about adult, consensual sex on the television, as long as the festering ooze of legal child abuse never sees the light of day, it's all good, eh?

Meh.

[Paulo1]

Such a nice civilized society. No talk about the fundamental procreation process and no talk about the nature of sexuality and love. But boy oh boy they can certainly through around a bit of torture with posh can't they.

That 1000 lashes is not done with a wet noodle, it can be inflicted with either a cane or a whip depending on country and each lash can break the skin as well as result in extreme pain. One thousand lashes at once would reduce a human being to so much hamburger well before it was finished so they must plan on endless days of inflicting a dozen or so at a time, probably leaving their victim horribly scared for life.

Yes, nice little moral people those Saudi's