Saudi court sentences poet to death for renouncing Islam

[TheIrishman]

Saudi court sentences poet to death for renouncing Islam

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/20/saudi-court-sentences-poet-to-death-for-renouncing-islam

<< A Palestinian poet and leading member of Saudi Arabia's nascent contemporary art scene has been sentenced to death for renouncing Islam. A Saudi court on Tuesday ordered the execution of Ashraf Fayadh, who has curated art shows in Jeddah and at the Venice Biennale. The poet, who said he did not have legal representation, was given 30 days to appeal against the ruling.

Fayadh, 35, a key member of the British-Saudi art organisation Edge of Arabia, was originally sentenced to four years in prison and 800 lashes by the general court in Abha, a city in the south-west of the ultraconservative kingdom, in May 2014. But after his appeal was dismissed he was retried last month and a new panel of judges ruled that his repentance did not prevent his execution.

"I was really shocked but it was expected, though I didn't do anything that deserves death", Fayadh told the Guardian.

Mona Kareem, a migrant rights activist from Kuwait who has led a campaign for the poet's release, said: "For one and a half years they promised him an appeal and kept intimidating him that there's new evidence. He was unable to assign a lawyer because his ID was confiscated when he was arrested [in January 2014]. Then they said you must have a retrial and we'll change the prosecutor and the judges. The new judge didn't even talk to him, he just made the verdict."

Fayadh's supporters believe he is being punished by hardliners for posting a video online showing the religious police (mutaween) in Abha lashing a man in public. "Some Saudis think this was revenge by the morality police", said Kareem. Kareem also believes that Fayadh has been targeted because he is a Palestinian refugee, although he was born in Saudi Arabia. >>

Source: The Guardian

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[spazzdla]

Islam is a plauge to this planet. 

[iv4n]

Nothing new in Islam. I dont know is it worth to discuss them anymore, they cross every limit long ago. And what is worst in all this that I cant see that they will change their minds in some near future. So we can just expect more and more news like this and to wonder when will it stop.

[bitcoinmar]

They need to give right of independently speech to peoples but they are not ready for this just because of this too many problems and killings around here just few shit peoples creating too many problems for all

[Pierre 2]

Islamic countries are so strange because they kill Muslims for being atheist.
"Fayadh denied the accusations of blasphemy and told the court he was a faithful Muslim".
Also, they blamed him having relationships with women. I really don't understand what is wrong about this. He is heterosexual so what is real problem?

[saddampbuh]

such moderate, much peaceful

[manis]

He was initially sentenced to 4 years in prison.
Surprised how the retrial enhanced the sentence from 4 years to death sentence.

[Sefton]

Islam is a plauge to this planet. 

People are a plague to this planet. Most western states used to do this sort of stuff but the Islamic states are currently lagging behind in getting with the times but this is just what happens when you let religious nuts get there own way and run a country. I'm sure many Christian would want to kill people for similar things if they could get away with it.

[RodeoX]

Once Trump or Carson is president I fully expect to be put to death for being an atheist. 

[MakingMoneyHoney]

Islam is a plauge to this planet. 

People are a plague to this planet. Most western states used to do this sort of stuff but the Islamic states are currently lagging behind in getting with the times but this is just what happens when you let religious nuts get there own way and run a country. I'm sure many Christian would want to kill people for similar things if they could get away with it.

No Christian would want anyone killed, as they are to love everyone and treat everyone as they would want to be treated.

Anyone who does not love another, is not Christian.

If you find someone who says they are Christian and hates someone, they are not a Christian. (this is based on the bible's definition)

1 John 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

[saddampbuh]

Once Trump or Carson is president I fully expect to be put to death for being an atheist. 

not trump , trump doesn't give a fuck about religion, that's why all the evangelicals are supporting carson and cruz

[bizerinm]

You are a christian and decide to convert in budism, hindu..it's your choice and nothing will happen to you. In islam you will be dead..Now it's important what means renouncing Islam, maybe just poetry is sufficient evidence for that

[salinizm]

Saudi court sentences poet to death for renouncing Islam

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/20/saudi-court-sentences-poet-to-death-for-renouncing-islam

<< A Palestinian poet and leading member of Saudi Arabia's nascent contemporary art scene has been sentenced to death for renouncing Islam. A Saudi court on Tuesday ordered the execution of Ashraf Fayadh, who has curated art shows in Jeddah and at the Venice Biennale. The poet, who said he did not have legal representation, was given 30 days to appeal against the ruling.

Fayadh, 35, a key member of the British-Saudi art organisation Edge of Arabia, was originally sentenced to four years in prison and 800 lashes by the general court in Abha, a city in the south-west of the ultraconservative kingdom, in May 2014. But after his appeal was dismissed he was retried last month and a new panel of judges ruled that his repentance did not prevent his execution.

"I was really shocked but it was expected, though I didn't do anything that deserves death", Fayadh told the Guardian.

Mona Kareem, a migrant rights activist from Kuwait who has led a campaign for the poet's release, said: "For one and a half years they promised him an appeal and kept intimidating him that there's new evidence. He was unable to assign a lawyer because his ID was confiscated when he was arrested [in January 2014]. Then they said you must have a retrial and we'll change the prosecutor and the judges. The new judge didn't even talk to him, he just made the verdict."

Fayadh's supporters believe he is being punished by hardliners for posting a video online showing the religious police (mutaween) in Abha lashing a man in public. "Some Saudis think this was revenge by the morality police", said Kareem. Kareem also believes that Fayadh has been targeted because he is a Palestinian refugee, although he was born in Saudi Arabia. >>

Source: The Guardian

we are getting used to these shits .. un must take some serious stuff over saudi arabia.. we are enough to hear this inhuman situation..

[jak1]

Saudi Arabia is horrible place to live, because you can expect worst punishments if you go one step in front of your home...13 years old girl was beaten with 90 lashes because she has a cell phone in school

[craked5]

Islam is a plauge to this planet. 

A plague not a plaugue. And not only Islam but all religions. The world is harsh enough like this, no need to add something as stupid as religion in our lifes!!!

They all forbid arts and cultures at one point.
Religion always goes with censorship, they're like brother and sister, always close each other.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

For fuck sake, what else is new.  I remember the big brouhaha about Salman Rushdie back in the day, and it's just this crazy part of Islam that calls for shit like this.  Oh to not have religion do this, and I'm not against Islam in particular.  It's all of them.

[xht]

Saudi is the ultimate Islamic purist expression they interpret Islam in it's truest form and Sharia as Mohammed practiced it himself.

[lrdeoliveira]

this is crazy i hate this kind of extremism

[jak1]

They do not do nothing else except killing people on worst way..they were at the end of year leaders in death sentence execution on the world.One woman from Malasya working in a house of rich saudi businessman was executed because was self defending from his attacks wounding him with knife

[Dank14]

What I find most disturbing is the fact that muslims hear about all these atrocities and yet do not see anything wrong in the religion. They even go on to say it is a religion of PEACE!!