Australian man sentenced to 500 lashes

**Aussiegunner** · 13 Dec 11,, 02:27

Originally Posted by chakos

There was one female friend of mine who to put it delicately is in to all things fetis

To put it less delicately she is a dirty bitch ... bless her :-).

**Bigfella** · 13 Dec 11,, 07:41

Originally Posted by chakos

I was discussing this particular case with a bunch of mates over a beer or twelve. Some agreed with the punishment and some didn't. The opinions ran pretty much exactly down the left/right divide. There was one female friend of mine who to put it delicately is in to all things fetish, when her opinion was asked she just smirked and after enquiring into the type of object that was to be used in the flogging kindly offered to take the 500 lashes on behalf of the poor sod...

You do have some strange friends mate.

**Bigfella** · 13 Dec 11,, 07:42

Originally Posted by Aussiegunner

So Bigfella, do you feethe same way about traditional spearing practiced as punishment by Aboriginal mobs on the Top End as you do about Singapore?

Yep.

**Bigfella** · 12 Jan 12,, 08:22

Looks like the punishment ended up being altered fairly dramatically. Guess he's lucky he didn't spray graffitti in Singapore.

Australian dad flies home after Saudi lash ordeal

Daniel Flitton

January 12, 2012.

The family of an Australian man who is flying home after being released from a prison in Saudi Arabia say they are overjoyed and relieved that his harrowing ordeal has finally come to an end.

Mansor Almaribe from Shepparton in northern Victoria had been sentenced to 500 lashes and a year in a Medina prison in December after he was found guilty of religious blasphemy while on a pilgrimage to Mecca.

But his sentence was commuted and his punishment reduced to 75 lashes, and he has now boarded a flight back to Australia.

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He will return to Melbourne early tomorrow morning on a flight from Dubai.

Mr Almaribe's son Isaam, 21, today said the family was overjoyed at news of his release.

Isaam said his family had not yet spoken to his father, but had contacted the lawyer who represented him in Saudi Arabia.

"[The lawyer] said that my dad is very tired but he can make it to Melbourne," Isaam told radio station 3AW.

"We're all sad about the lashes but we're still happy that my dad is finally back."

He said his father had received a royal pardon, and had maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration.

Isaam was unable to confirm reports that his father, who suffered from several medical conditions including diabetes and heart problems, had worn a coat during the lashing.

But he was convinced the ordeal would not change his father.

"My dad won't change anything," Isaam said and later told Fairfax: "We were so stressed, but now we're feeling better that my dad is coming home."

Federal MP Sharman Stone, who worked closely with the family to assist in the case, said his release was excellent news.

"I'm so pleased mercy has been shown to a man who only practised his own faith," Dr Stone said.

Mr Almaribe - a Shiite Muslim who fled Iraq in the late 1990s and became an Australian citizen - had travelled to Saudi Arabia. He was convicted on a charge of insulting companions of the prophet Muhammad.

Shiite Muslims are a minority in the predominantly Sunni country and are regularly targeted by religious police.

A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd said the government appreciated the leniency granted by Saudi Arabia.

"Saudi Arabian authorities have granted Mr Almaribe a pardon from his prison sentence, and his corporal punishment was also greatly reduced and administered in a way that did not cause physical harm," she said.

......

With Megan Levy and Jane Lee

Read more: Australian dad flies home after Saudi lash ordeal

**Cedz** · 13 Jan 12,, 01:34

Originally Posted by Bigfella

Looks like the punishment ended up being altered fairly dramatically. Guess he's lucky he didn't spray graffitti in Singapore.

Read more: Australian dad flies home after Saudi lash ordeal

How do you administer 75 lashes without causing physical harm?

**chakos** · 13 Jan 12,, 01:54

Originally Posted by Bigfella

You do have some strange friends mate.

Actually you met her boyfriend when I was down in Melbourne town (my mate)... knowing him even over a couple of beers it shouldnt suprise you that his partners just as much of a deviant...

**chakos** · 13 Jan 12,, 01:57

Originally Posted by dave lukins

Did the friends in favour say why? Or do they believe a person should be flogged, possibly to death, for allegedly uttering words?

The basic argument was along the lines of 'there house there rules". One doesnt have to like nor agree with it but if they want to live in a barbarian society who are we to question it?

**USSWisconsin** · 13 Jan 12,, 03:28

Originally Posted by Cedz

How do you administer 75 lashes without causing physical harm?

I read that they let him wear a coat, I suppose that kept him from being lacerated - more like a beating than a scourging perhaps?

It still sounds terrible - and what a reason for doing it - he went all the way to Mecca for his faith - why would he insult it? He could have done that without going anywhere, why would he go there to do it? It seems pretty twisted to me.

**dave lukins** · 13 Jan 12,, 11:49

Originally Posted by Cedz

How do you administer 75 lashes without causing physical harm?

Sounds like the letter of the Law had to be carried out and he wore a heavy coat. He was then caned using minimum to no force.

**Bigfella** · 13 Jan 12,, 12:01

Originally Posted by chakos

Actually you met her boyfriend when I was down in Melbourne town (my mate)... knowing him even over a couple of beers it shouldnt suprise you that his partners just as much of a deviant...

No surprise at all.

**Bigfella** · 13 Jan 12,, 12:09

Originally Posted by dave lukins

Sounds like the letter of the Law had to be carried out and he wore a heavy coat. He was then caned using minimum to no force.

Sounds like it was unpleasant, but probably less damaging than what happens in places like Singapore. Can't necessarily say the same for the conditions he was kept in. All quite nasty, but nowhere near as nasty as it could have been. My bet is that once the government of SA realised just how bad this looked they found a way to make it go away quickly & quietly. I suspect that pictures of an unwell man with a shredded back didn't fit the bill, so they made sure there were none.

**USSWisconsin** · 13 Jan 12,, 17:02

The premise that this man went to SA, on a pilgrimage to Mecca, to insult the companions of the Prophet? Sounds very implausable to me, as a Muslim, he knew the consequences of doing something like that -I don't believe he did it.

**Bigfella** · 13 Jan 12,, 22:39

Originally Posted by USSWisconsin

The premise that this man went to SA, on a pilgrimage to Mecca, to insult the companions of the Prophet? Sounds very implausable to me, as a Muslim, he knew the consequences of doing something like that -I don't believe he did it.

I don't think there is much doubt about that. I suspect thats one reason why the KSA was happy just to let this die quietly. They probably don't want any more publicity about how they treat Shias then is absolutely necessary - especially after their role in Bahrain.

**kato** · 14 Jan 12,, 08:49

Originally Posted by USSWisconsin

The premise that this man went to SA, on a pilgrimage to Mecca, to insult the companions of the Prophet?

Shi'a do have a very different opinion on the sahabah (companions of the prophet) from sunni. In particular sunni believe that Mohamed absolved all sahabah from sin whereas shi'a believe a number of sahabah to be sinful. Expressing such is considered an insult to the sahabah in wahhabite Saudi Arabia (and, from a religious viewpoint, rather rightfully). This is one of the core difference between shi'a and sunni in fact.