The story of a Saudi pedophilic rapist sentenced to execution and to having his body crucified is making the international media. The question of execution, capital punishment, is a problem for some, though I suspect that most people wouldn’t have a problem in this particular case. The issue that brings raised eyebrows is crucifixion. Not only does it have obvious religious connotations for Christians, but it has always been seen as barbaric and a huge insult to the person being crucified. That’s the point of it in Saudi Arabia, at least the insult part. The Saudi courts apparently see it as a fitting punishment for the criminal to be scorned in public in a way that goes beyond public execution. The UK’s Independent has the story:
Paedophile rapist to be beheaded and crucified in Saudi Arabia
A man who kidnapped and raped five children, one of whom was left in the desert to die, has been sentenced to be beheaded and his body publicly crucified.
Muhammed Basheer al-Ramaly, 22, from the northern city of Hail, in Saudi Arabia, will be executed at noon today.
He will be beheaded by sword then his body tied to a wooden cross and his head stuck on a pole as a deterrent.
Al-Ramaly was found guilty in February of abducting and raping five boys, the eldest of whom was 7 and the youngest just 3, who he left out in the desert to die.
His modus operandi was to pick up the boys in his car and take them off to a secret location and rape them. Most of them were found a day or two after they were abducted, and told police that they had been abused.
Saudi reports said that police used one of the survivors, a seven-year-old boy, to scour the area where he was molested, looking for the suspect’s vehicle.
Al-Ramaly allegedly confessed to the crime and was sentenced to death by a court in Hail, but appealed to a higher court in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
…
Arab News reports that the execution has been postponed to some later date. No particular reason is given:
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November:04:2009 - 10:01
how do i leave a comment? I work in hail but i don;t want my name mentioned
November:04:2009 - 10:01
You can use a pseudonym when commenting–many do for various reasons. You need only enter a real e-mail address, visible only to me, in order to leave a comment.
As you’ll notice, I’ve changed your name above.
November:04:2009 - 10:01
Well being a good Canadian I am against the death penalty under all circumstances even though there are cases like this one that are sorely tempting. If you look at the countries that actively use the death penalty the US is alone among 1st world nations, and in rather poor company with a number of countries sorely lacking in democratic values.
November:04:2009 - 10:01
Yes. And if you look at the difference between the political classes and the populace, the support for capital punishment is startling: governments don’t like it but it gets popular support well over the 50% line. Some countries choose to ignore the people’s will–as the UK, where the death penalty has support at about 70%. Others, as in the US, leave it to the citizens (or governments) of each state to decide.
I’m opposed to the death penalty not in principle, but in practice. A mistake here is not one that permits do-overs.
November:04:2009 - 10:01
John–I agree that the bottom line is a practical one, even though there are philosophical arguments to be made against the death penalty. Other practicalities besides wrongful convictions, or politicization of who is rightfully convicted of what, are the troubles with actually accurately and humanely administering the death penalty (their are failed attempts and medical problems with each new and improved method), and the fact that it has been proven not to be a deterrent.
November:04:2009 - 10:01
I’m in Hail, heard about the execution today,, I heard it happened last night,, at 2am, In the local market, I will go there tomorrow, I feel sick at the idea of seeing the severed head but worse to think of how little kids suffered, This society breeds monsters but them so does every society, life went on as usual here today, most ex-pats bury theor heads in the sand and deny the fact that we live in a crazy system which forces women to cover their faces, it’s not the law, but peer pressure is worse than the law, — men strut around here but sadly mainly around the supermarket, Hard to be a proud Bedoin when you have to ring up the groceries and transport women like cattle. People go crazy here but people go crazy in the USA as well. The USA is more savage in many ways, jesus try speaking the truth and see how it goes down, USA government points the finger at facism while practicing facism hope Obama can negotiate the way forward. Molly B
November:04:2009 - 10:01
I don’t know exactly what I believe about the death penalty, but in this case I’d say the guy got what he deserved. The people who do this kind of thing deserve whatever they get. Crimes against children are the worst possible thing ever.
And as a side note, I’d say it’s a deterrent from this guy ever getting out of prison and committing a crime again…
November:04:2009 - 10:01
I’m opposed to the death penalty not in principle, but in practice. A mistake here is not one that permits do-overs.
Precisely. Especially in a judicial system like KSA with no accountability or transparency and so riddled with absurd judicial pronouncements.
The USA is more savage in many ways, jesus try speaking the truth and see how it goes down,
It goes down without much repercussion. Having lived under governments which did not tolerate dissent, in my experience USA does live up to the ideals of free speech more than any place I have ever lived in. It’s far from perfect. But certainly not “more savage” in many ways.
November:04:2009 - 10:01
The failure of deterrence is not for the individual but rather for others to commit crime.
November:04:2009 - 10:01
The execution didn’t happen,, there is a months delay,, but all the apparatus was set up on Tuesday night,,, some people saw it,, it’s gone today.
Still the date market was deserted today,
Hi Olive the Oil…., with respect, we can debate who is more savage if you like, but The USA seems to talk the talk but not walk the walk.
yours etc
Molly B
ps John thanks for the clarrificationb