# Saudi Arabia and sharia law **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 9, 2003, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-and-sharia-law/200494 "2003-09-09T12:16:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-and-sharia-law/200494/1 "2003-09-09T12:16:26Z")
> [@](#): > > SANDY Mitchell, the Scot placed under sentence of death in Saudi Arabia, has revealed he was due to be executed by crucifixion, writes Christopher Claire. > > Mitchell said he was told by his Saudi lawyer that the sentence called for the victim’s head to be “partially” severed and the body fixed to an X-shaped cross in public view for three days. > > Public beheadings are routine in Saudi Arabia, but crucifixion is reserved as an exemplary punishment under sharia (Islamic) law for crimes of the utmost severity. Two highway robbers have been executed in this way in the past 20 years. [http://www.scotlandonsunday.com/index.cfm?id=987592003](http://www.scotlandonsunday.com/index.cfm?id=987592003) It’s the 21st century for fuck’s sake!!! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-and-sharia-law/200494/2 "2003-09-09T13:04:52Z")
Not only is that utterly fucked up, but the charges against the guys were total bullshit: looks like Islamist terrorist bombs pawned off onto allegations booze-smuggling - killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. According to the Sunday Times, oneof the people convicted was a nurse who saved the life of one of the victims. This guy helped direct the police, while keeping the other guy alive, and when the police arrived they arrested him. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-and-sharia-law/200494/3 "2003-09-09T13:12:06Z")
A few more facts: 1. He’s been [released](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3137153.stm) and sent back to Briain 2. He was a [convicted terrorist](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1489046.stm). 3. Such a punishment is legal under Sharia law 4. [His confession was tortured out of him](http://www.guardian.co.uk/saudi/story/0,11599,1037311,00.html) 5. I can’t find any evidence for the crucifiction, except from Mr Mitchell. 6. He was probably a scapegoat convicted beacause the Saudis were loathe to admit to terrorism in 2001. Times have changed. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-and-sharia-law/200494/4 "2003-09-09T13:13:50Z")
I know, the least they could do is _televise_ these things. When are these damn rag heads going to get up to speed . . . ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-and-sharia-law/200494/5 "2003-09-09T13:21:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tapioca Dextrin \* > \*\* > 6) He was probably a scapegoat convicted beacause the Saudis were loathe to admit to terrorism in 2001. [Times have changed](http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=5391). \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c37758/32.png) [@Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Owes_Bess)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-and-sharia-law/200494/6 "2003-09-09T13:24:27Z")
Just wait until Amnesty International hears about this. There’ll be hell to pay, I tell you! ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-and-sharia-law/200494/7 "2003-09-09T13:28:55Z")
Alan, while I’m sure you’re being sarky, AI do have an ongoing camaign against human right abuses in Saudi Arabia: [http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/intcam/saudi/](http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/intcam/saudi/) ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-and-sharia-law/200494/8 "2003-09-09T13:46:02Z")
There were several men all up for the same conspiracy charges. From [here](http://www.nationalpost.com/home/story.html?id=B85D02E1-794B-4A94-890C-1DB3FE4A1C71) > [@](#): > > Dr. Mohammed R. Al-Hussaini, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Canada, cancelled a scheduled interview with the Post yesterday, but the Saudi embassy in London denied the torture allegations, telling the BBC that the men stayed in air-conditioned rooms with regular access to visitors, lawyers, exercise facilities and whatever food they asked for. > In an interview from London yesterday, Mr. Sampson laughed off such suggestions. > “What else can one expect them to say?” he said. It does make you wonder how a guy can drop from 214 lbs to 146 lbs in such comfort, doesn’t it?