Saudis Defend Punishment for Rape Victim

[Rose Siding]

Source: AP via LAT

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- The Saudi judiciary on Tuesday defended a court verdict that sentenced a 19-year-old victim of a gang rape to six months in jail and 200 lashes because she was with an unrelated male when they were attacked.

....the Ministry of Justice stood by the verdict Tuesday, saying that "charges were proven" against the woman for having been in a car with a man who was not her relative.

The ministry implied the victim's sentence was increased because she spoke out to the press. "For whoever has an objection on verdicts issued, the system allows an appeal without resorting to the media," said the statement, which was carried on the official Saudi Press Agency.
.....
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack avoided directly criticizing the Saudi judiciary over the case, but said the verdict "causes a fair degree of surprise and astonishment.".....

Canada's minister for women's issues, Jose Verger, has called the sentence "barbaric."

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/ats-ap_top13nov21,0,2803445.story?coll=la-ap-topnews-headlines