Saudi Arabia and Women's Rights
Allahu Akbar | 05.09.2003 23:54
The son of a wealthy Saudi Arabian official was sentenced to five years in jail yesterday for imprisoning and torturing a girl in his Thames-side flat.
Over four weeks Sammy Shadukhi, 22, whipped, stabbed and almost drowned the 17-year-old, whom he also made pregnant, Inner London Crown Court was told. After he threatened to "slaughter her like a sheep" she escaped through a window, plunging 60 feet to the river shore and breaking her back, leg and ankle.
Over four weeks Sammy Shadukhi, 22, whipped, stabbed and almost drowned the 17-year-old, whom he also made pregnant, Inner London Crown Court was told. After he threatened to "slaughter her like a sheep" she escaped through a window, plunging 60 feet to the river shore and breaking her back, leg and ankle.
Shadukhi, an English language student whose father is said to have recently retired from the Ministry of the Interior, was convicted of false imprisonment, making threats to kill and causing actual bodily harm. He was found not guilty of rape and causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and cleared of unlawful wounding and a second actual bodily harm charge after the jury failed to reach verdicts.
Nicholas Atkinson QC, for the prosecution, said that two days before the trial officials at the Saudi Arabian embassy tried to bribe the victim into dropping the case. The Foreign Office said last night that it was investigating that allegation.
Judge van der Werff told Shadukhi: "You kept her under your control at all times and you subjected her to various sorts of torture ... tying her up with wire and Sellotape and keeping her like that for long periods. It was a terrible time for her, a period of her life she will never be able to forget." He said the teenager had terminated her pregnancy.
The court was told that the girl had arrived in Britain with Shadukhi in January last year and he locked her in his Rotherhithe flat. Mr Atkinson said: "The defendant would secure her hands and feet with tape and put her in the bath and push her under the water. On one occasion he stabbed her feet in the bath with a kitchen knife so she saw the water turning red with her blood." He said Shadukhi made her stand half-dressed for hours, hit her with a mop handle and whipped her with a mobile phone charger.
The teenager said that when he forced her head under the water, Shadukhi would say: "This is the last day of your life. You don't deserve to live. I have to get rid of you."
Shadukhi denied all the charges, claiming the victim was lying and her injuries were either self-inflicted or the result of her fall.
Nicholas Atkinson QC, for the prosecution, said that two days before the trial officials at the Saudi Arabian embassy tried to bribe the victim into dropping the case. The Foreign Office said last night that it was investigating that allegation.
Judge van der Werff told Shadukhi: "You kept her under your control at all times and you subjected her to various sorts of torture ... tying her up with wire and Sellotape and keeping her like that for long periods. It was a terrible time for her, a period of her life she will never be able to forget." He said the teenager had terminated her pregnancy.
The court was told that the girl had arrived in Britain with Shadukhi in January last year and he locked her in his Rotherhithe flat. Mr Atkinson said: "The defendant would secure her hands and feet with tape and put her in the bath and push her under the water. On one occasion he stabbed her feet in the bath with a kitchen knife so she saw the water turning red with her blood." He said Shadukhi made her stand half-dressed for hours, hit her with a mop handle and whipped her with a mobile phone charger.
The teenager said that when he forced her head under the water, Shadukhi would say: "This is the last day of your life. You don't deserve to live. I have to get rid of you."
Shadukhi denied all the charges, claiming the victim was lying and her injuries were either self-inflicted or the result of her fall.
Allahu Akbar
Comments
Hide the following 4 comments
Who's responsible
06.09.2003 00:40
I think that the author of this article is trying to whip up Islamophobic sentiment, rather than drawing the correct conclusion that most people of a Muslim background completely object to this sort of behaviour and are only subjected to ruling classes as oppresive as Saudi Arabia's thanks to US Imperialism. This is a horrific story, but please, make a sensible analysis of it.
M Python
where does the article mention Islam then?
06.09.2003 12:57
Mr Cheeseshop
More on Islam's Treatment of Women
08.09.2003 02:33
From BBC NEWS On-Line
'Honour killings' Law Blocked
Some women in Jordan are regarded as their family's property
Parliament in Jordan has overwhelmingly rejected a proposed law imposing harsher punishments for men who kill female relatives in what are known as "honour killings".
It was the second time since June's elections that the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, quashed the bill on such killings, which are mostly carried out by brothers and fathers against women who have had sex outside of marriage.
Islamists and conservatives opposed to the new law said it would encourage vice and destroy social values.
Another bill - allowing women to divorce their husbands - was referred to a parliamentary legal committee for further review.
In August, the upper house, or Senate, upheld both bills, after they were rejected by the lower house. The bills now are expected to be debated jointly by both chambers.
Correspondents say that if lawmakers continue to reject the amendments, only intervention by the Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah, can ensure they come into effect.
Guardians of traditions
Honour killings of women in Jordan have caused international outrage.
Honour killings
UN estimates 5,000 a year
Permitted under Jordanian law articles 340 and 98
Usually carried out by brother or father of victim
But Jordanian MPs argue that more lenient punishments will violate religious traditions and damage the fabric of Jordan's conservative society, where men have the final say.
"Sixty of the 85 deputies... voted to reject this temporarily because the amendments were superficial and did not deal with the root of the issue," MP Adab Saoud told the AFP news agency.
Under the existing law, people found guilty of committing honour killings often receive sentences as light as six months in prison.
In 2001, King Abdullah passed a temporary bill imposing harsher penalties for honour killings.
But parliament recently voted to dissolve the bill.
buzzbee
I would not buy it any more........
08.09.2003 09:22
I think we need to listen to both of them then we will decide.
One more think, please try not to stick every think to Islam or the Saudi government.
WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY TOO DEATH !!!!!!!!!!!
Adel Al Ohaly
e-mail:
ADELLOVE@HOTMAIL.COM