Saudi Arabia to execute "sorceror"

[mr friendly guy]

linky

Lawyer: Beheading planned in Saudi sorcery case
March 31, 2010 -- Updated 2227 GMT (0627 HKT)

(CNN) -- A Lebanese man charged with sorcery and sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia is scheduled to be beheaded on Friday, the man's lawyer said Wednesday.

May El Khansa, the attorney for Ali Hussain Sibat, told CNN that she and Sibat's family were informed about the upcoming execution. She said she heard from a source in Saudi Arabia with knowledge of the case and the proceedings that Saudi authorities "will carry out the execution."

The Saudi Ministry of Justice could not immediately be reached for comment on the matter.

El Khansa said she has appealed to Lebanon's prime minister, Saad Hariri, and president, Michel Suleiman, to stop the execution. Amnesty International, the human rights group, has called on Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah to block it as well.

TV presenter gets death sentence for 'sorcery'

Sibat is the former host of a popular call-in show that aired on Beirut-based satellite TV channel "Sheherazade." According to his lawyer, Sibat would predict the future on his show and give out advice to his audience.

El Khansa told CNN her client was arrested by Saudi Arabia's religious police (known as the Mutawa'een) and charged with sorcery while visiting the country in May 2008. Sibat was in Saudi Arabia to perform the Islamic religious pilgrimage known as Umra.

Video: Man awaits death sentence for 'sorcery'

Sibat was then put on trial, and in November 2009, a court in the Saudi city of Medina found him guilty and sentenced him to death.

According to El Khansa, Sibat appealed the verdict. The case was taken up by the Court of Appeal in the Saudi city of Mecca on the grounds that the initial verdict was "premature."

El Khansa tells CNN that the Mecca appeals court then sent the case back to the original court for reconsideration, stipulating that all charges made against Sibat needed to be verified and that he should be given a chance to repent.

On March 10, judges in Medina upheld their initial verdict, meaning Sibat is once again sentenced to be executed.

"The Medina court refused the sentence of the appeals court," said El Khansa, adding her client will appeal the verdict once more.

I have heard that there are claims he is "psychic" going around. I am not sure if he himself made that claim or someone else did, but if he does claim to be psychic the best that he should get is fraud, not execution for having supernatural powers which don't exist.

This raises another good point. At what stage is attempting to predict the future considered sorcery as opposed to just an educated guess. I haven't heard of Saudi Arabia executing any economist who said the economy is going south, but hey maybe the economists powers of prediction are just that crap most of the time.

[LaCroix]

You know, as stupid as this law is and as much I despise the decision to execute that man, a quick look into the tv with it's astrology shows makes me wonder if they might do have it right. Nobody stops being a "psychic" for fraud charges...

[Norade]

I'm pretty appalled that this sort of thing still happens anywhere in the world and wonder why there isn't any world agency set up to prevent this sort of thing. Obviously such an organization would have a tough job sorting what they can do, from what they'd like to do and sorting cases where they're needed versus case they aren't, but I think many people on this board would support such an organization.

[Samuel]

I'm pretty appalled that this sort of thing still happens anywhere in the world and wonder why there isn't any world agency set up to prevent this sort of thing. Obviously such an organization would have a tough job sorting what they can do, from what they'd like to do and sorting cases where they're needed versus case they aren't, but I think many people on this board would support such an organization.

Amnesty International.

[Admiral Valdemar]

My Lord, the defence directs the jury to the evidence of the lack of the defendant's presumed powers, by virtue of the fact that he failed to predict this kind of response. Ergo, anyone who seemingly has such predictive faculties, and yet doesn't see their execution being brought about by them, is either a disturbed person, or no such mystic sorcerer.

The defence rests its case.

[Samuel]

Well then the prosecution is just going to have to go with "the shroud of the dark side" the power of God interfering with his ability to see the future due to his proximity to holy sites.

If you believe in untestable supernaturalism, you can get into an infinite regress.

[Norade]

I'm pretty appalled that this sort of thing still happens anywhere in the world and wonder why there isn't any world agency set up to prevent this sort of thing. Obviously such an organization would have a tough job sorting what they can do, from what they'd like to do and sorting cases where they're needed versus case they aren't, but I think many people on this board would support such an organization.

Amnesty International.

It makes me feel stupid for not instantly thinking of them, but at the same time they get no press and not a hint about them acting in this case was mentioned. I wonder what the percentage of westerners they take care of opposed to people from other regions is?

[UCBooties]

I'm pretty appalled that this sort of thing still happens anywhere in the world and wonder why there isn't any world agency set up to prevent this sort of thing. Obviously such an organization would have a tough job sorting what they can do, from what they'd like to do and sorting cases where they're needed versus case they aren't, but I think many people on this board would support such an organization.

Amnesty International.

It makes me feel stupid for not instantly thinking of them, but at the same time they get no press and not a hint about them acting in this case was mentioned. I wonder what the percentage of westerners they take care of opposed to people from other regions is?

Yeah, they're mentioned in like the third paragraph.

[Norade]

You'd think I would learn to stop skimming posts at 3am...

[Teebs]

You know, as stupid as this law is and as much I despise the decision to execute that man, a quick look into the tv with it's astrology shows makes me wonder if they might do have it right. Nobody stops being a "psychic" for fraud charges...

I've never heard of any 'psychics' or astrologers being charged with fraud. Have you? I realise that doesn't mean it's not happening, but if they have no fear of being charged with it then obviously it won't be a deterrent.

Regardless, I'd much rather have fake psychics on TV than have people executed for being fake (or real) psychics.

[loomer]

Sounds fair enough to me, if they could actually prove witchcraft. Of course, since they can't, add my voice to the pile of screaming indignated responses. Saudi Arabia is, I believe, the only state in the world to still pay its own beheader.