Saudi Arabia: Further Information on Fear of flogging

Index Number: MDE 23/015/2009
Date Published: 20 May 2009
Categories: Saudi Arabia

On or around 19 May 2009, the Court of Cassation in Riyadh refused to ratify the sentence of flogging and imprisonment that had been passed against Khamisa Mohammed Sawadi, Fahad and Hadyan. They had all been found guilty of khilwa. The case has now been sent back to al-Shamli court for review. If it upholds its original verdict, the three will be at risk of being flogged and imprisoned. If they are imprisoned, they would be prisoners of conscience.