Saudi Arabia Convicts 15 Men, Women For Mingling At Party

RIYADH — Judicial officials say a Saudi court has convicted four women and 11 men for mingling at a party and sentenced them to flogging and prison terms.

The men, who are between 30 and 40 years old, and three of the women, who are under the age of 30, were sentenced to an unspecified number of lashes and one or two year prison terms each.

The fourth woman, a minor, was sentenced to 80 lashes and was not sent to prison.

The ruling was handed down on Tuesday at a court in the northern town of Ha'il.

The officials say the police saw the group partying until dawn last month. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media.

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam that prohibits unrelated men and women from mingling.

Comments

[Jolicoeur1]

11:23 AM on 08/11/2010

This is Bush's and Obama's favorite country, Billions of dollars, weapons, planes, turn against Israel, oil man oil.

[AbeMartin]

07:01 PM on 07/10/2010

George Bush's favorite country. Is it any wonder that he and Cheney's thugs spirited Osama bin Laden's family out of the United States after the September 11 attacks because they didn't want to offend the al Sauds?

[NonNativeIndian]

02:44 AM on 06/30/2010

what a load of crap

[AbeMartin]

07:02 PM on 07/10/2010

Looks like it.
Smells like it.

[alexchicago]

02:50 PM on 06/24/2010

a smart bunch of guys once sang...Fight for your right to party.....

[UberReaganite]

11:17 AM on 06/24/2010

A nation that still "Stones" people to death. A nation that believes hacking the clitoris off a young girl is somehow helpful to her. A nation that believes if a woman shows her arm its a sin punishable by mutilation. A nation that allows men to charge woman with adultry simply by Saying the women are adulterers then acts on that kangaroo court to commit atrocities on women while the men of the same nation are pretty much free to do whatever they want sexually, which includes a large percentage of them being homosexual.

I could go on and on with the Truth (Hypocrisy) about Islam but what's the point? Anyone that thinks Islam is not a backwards-assed primitive belief system based on the supression of individual liberties is a fool and you cant fix fools. The world is full of them and some, like these crazy religious Islamic fools are very dangerous.

Lets see, as a moderate progressive American who do I have more in common with. Jews that do not not share ANY of the ridiculous beliefs or customs posted above or Islamic people such as Palestinians and other Arabs that pretty much believe in ALL of that crazyness......Wow, that's a tough decision....gee, they are both so....equal...what team should I go with?

[Scabby]

01:22 PM on 06/24/2010

What team should you go with? How about standing up for the human rights of all people?

[iLoveOldNY]

09:59 AM on 06/24/2010

Those mingling wh.ores...

[hallowellboy]

09:58 AM on 06/24/2010

The Saudis are our friends. Just ask George Bush and the folks that needlessly drive V8s.

[Alien Nation]

09:46 AM on 06/24/2010

Can't wait till we don't need these filthy pigs oil. Makes me sick to think we're in bed with them for their black gold. It's the only thing that makes our administration turn a blind eye to all the atrocities the Saudis commit on their own people each year.

[fortyfiveseventy]

06:11 AM on 06/24/2010

Take note western women. You're not doing so bad!

[bannedingaza]

10:28 PM on 06/23/2010

Ah..those "moderate" Saudis...the perfect model for the rest of the Arab states..huh???

[Chopin]

09:32 PM on 06/23/2010

I am truly curious . . . about whether Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has anything to say about this atrocious violation of human rights, in an ally country.

[apeter20]

01:45 AM on 06/24/2010

she will, after they are no longer one of our major energy sources, if shes still alive.

[JungleGeorge]

02:24 AM on 06/24/2010

Of course she will not, and neither will Obama, nor will any of the west's leaders. Did any of them protest in any way over the fact that 9 (?) of the 9/11 pilots were Saudi men? Do any of them protest in any way the huge amount of funding (BILLIONS of $$) that Saudi Arabia pours into Madrassahs and mosques that invade western culture? No, politicians from the west just give a silly 'bow' to the despot "King" of Saudi Arabia. And meanwhile, the religious police keep thrashing young people in the Kingdom... I know, because I worked there for 4 years. I grew to hate the country because of its repressions and corruption. It's not a Kingdom, it's a primitive tribal society bullied along by the top camel driver. Saudis have no hope until they overthrow the Kingdom and their faith... no hope at all.

[MIKEinNYC]

09:24 PM on 06/23/2010

They have police that monitor parties?

Any outcry by human rights groups like there would be if you-know-who so much as looked at a minority cockeyed?

[Paula Ann]

09:30 PM on 06/23/2010

parties and so much more...............
The Committe for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

[MIKEinNYC]

10:37 PM on 06/23/2010

What are Moslems allowed to do that's fun?

I heard of this one guy that they killed for watching soccer, too pleasurable they said, takes time away from prayer they said.

[Garioch]

08:07 AM on 06/24/2010

Most of the Gulf States do even those thought of as liberal such as Dubai. The religious police are everywhere and not to be messed with unless you want to exist the place swiftly with none of you belongings…. at best.

[no-body]

09:10 PM on 06/23/2010

I am so glad I wasn't born in these part of the world ... I could only imagine how bad it gets there ...

[cinoti]

06:39 PM on 06/23/2010

It has many names and faces, but always is known for intolerance and a readiness
to inflict pain. on any one that would dare to cross it's imaginary boundaries.
Self serving , blind intolerance, demanding blind obedience, preserving only the
structure of social power, after having lost it original reason for being created in
the first place. No longer legitimate, it must intimidate, to preserve it;s hold on power!
It must punish the light of a new day, by hiding in darkness!
Islam, in the middle east.

[Ghost803]

05:32 PM on 06/23/2010

Do we give asylum status to Saudi Arabians? I can't imagine being a normal person and having to live in that ____ hole.