Saudi Arabia gets a "get out of jail" card from the Bush Administration, the Congress and our media in almost every way. Where do we start? On 9/11 the Saudis powerful are whisked out of the US without proper investigation despite the fact most the hijackers were proven to be Saudi. The Saudis provide most of the suicide bombers in Iraq who are killing our troops and there is not a peep! It is Iran, Iran Iran when there has not been even 1 Iranian caught doing anything. We attack our enemies on how they treat women and celebrate every lame effort in this regard in Iraq despite the fact the entire population is being brutalized by our war effort. At the same time the Saudis oppress women in so many ways I can't begin to document them and no one in the administration, the congress or the press says a peep.
Now we have this story of multiple rape victim being brutalized by the state after her attack. I am besides myself.
According to the Arab News newspaper, the 19-year-old woman, who is from Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, was gang-raped 14 times in an attack in the eastern province a year-and-a-half ago.
Seven men from the majority Sunni community were found guilty of the rape and sentenced to prison terms ranging from just under a year to five years.
But the victim was also punished for violating Saudi Arabia's laws on segregation that forbid unrelated men and women from associating with each other. She was initially sentenced to 90 lashes for being in the car of a strange man.
On appeal, the Arab News reported that the punishment was not reduced but increased to 200 lashes and a six-month prison sentence.
The rapists also had their prison terms doubled. But the sentences are still low considering they could have faced the death penalty.
BBC