British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

[Muzna]

350 Lashes will surely kill him… but you would think that after 25 years of working for an Arab company, he would have known the rules.

Children of British pensioner sentenced to 350 lashes in Saudi Arabia call on PM

The children of a British man have called on David Cameron to intervene to save their father from being subjected to 350 lashes in Saudi Arabia. Karl Andree, 74, faces being publicly flogged as part of a punishment imposed after bottles of homemade wine were reportedly found last year in his car by Saudi police enforcing strict laws prohibiting alcohol.

The family of the oil executive, who is being held at Jeddah’s Briman prison, say he is already weak as a result of cancer and fear that the flogging will kill him. They said in a statement reported by the Sun: “Our father has given 25 years of his working life to Saudi Arabia, and this is how he is treated. Until his arrest, he has always been happy working there and felt safe.

“He is 74 years of age, has had cancer three times and his wife is dying in a home in the UK. He now needs medical care for his cancer and asthma, and there is no doubt in our mind that 350 lashes will kill him. We implore David Cameron to personally intervene and help get our father home. The Saudi government will only listen to him.”

The Foreign Office said: “Our embassy staff are continuing to assist Mr Andree, including regular visits to check on his welfare, and frequent contact with his lawyer and family. Ministers and senior officials have raised Mr Andree’s case with the Saudi government and we are actively seeking his release as soon as possible.”

Andree’s three children, Hugh, 46, Kirsten, 45, and Simon, 33, are reported to have been lobbying discreetly for their father for more than a month but have now decided to go public.

The campaign by the family comes at a time when Britain’s diplomatic relationship with Saudi Arabia is under new scrutiny. The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, last month used his keynote speech at his party’s annual conference to call on the prime minister to secure the release of a Saudi protestor, Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, who has been condemned to execution. Al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 for reportedly being involved in Arab spring protests in Qatif, in the country’s eastern province.

Children of British pensioner sentenced to 350 lashes in Saudi Arabia call on PM

[PyariCgudia]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

I don't get it. I thought the same rules of alcohol and veil don't apply to westerners

[Muzna]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

I don't get it. I thought the same rules of alcohol and veil don't apply to westerners

I'm not aware of the technicalities....perhaps someone that is can enlighten us.

[psyah]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

They should convert this to a heavy fine and then deport him.

[psyah]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

Irony ... The Brits helped Saudi separate from the moderate Ottomans and now a British person faces the strictness of what his representatives helped setup.

[Southie]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

Barbaric Saudi government. The pariah of this world.

[OYMWA]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

UK should just sign an extradition treaty with Saudi; their citizens breaking Saudi law will be deported to UK and face the law in UK and Saudi citizens breaking the law in UK, face the punishment in Saudi.

[aaliyahkhan1]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

They should have just sentenced him to death..coz who in the world is going to survive 350 lashes???!!!!!

In other Middle East countries..if you are not a Muslim then you can get a licence for alcohol....I thought it would be the same in KSA...

[Southie]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

UK should just sign an extradition treaty with Saudi; their citizens breaking Saudi law will be deported to UK and face the law in UK and Saudi citizens breaking the law in UK, face the punishment in Saudi.

Do we have an update on the Saudi prince who allegedly assaulted the house help? Word was he has gone back to Saudia. Is he in jail awaiting a trial?

[psyah]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

Mind you ... Alcohol is the biggest killer of people in the world and related to a whole plethora of crime/sin ... including rape, etc ... This man in the best case scenario was holding a lot of alcohol illegally. In the worst case scenario he was manufacturing the stuff and distributing it and consuming it probably selling it. The punishment was well known and the risk was taken. Leniency might set a bad precedent.

[Southie]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

Mind you ... Alcohol is the biggest killer of people in the world and related to a whole plethora of crime/sin ... including rape, etc ... This man in the best case scenario was holding a lot of alcohol illegally. In the worst case scenario he was manufacturing the stuff and distributing it and consuming it probably selling it. The punishment was well known and the risk was taken. Leniency might set a bad precedent.

Yes. He was also probably assaulting his house help while consuming alcohol.

No that's a different person.

[X2]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

If the laws are idiotic or the punishment idiotic then it must be protested against.. But until they are changed being caught breaking them is bad judgement.

The challenge to varying degrees everywhere and in KSA towards one end of that range is the ability of people to challenge a law, either via representative power, or via civil disobedience.

Southie- as far as the Saudi assaulting prince goes, last I heard he was out on bail but still in US. Would be really poor showing if he was allowed to leave.

[X2]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

UK should just sign an extradition treaty with Saudi; their citizens breaking Saudi law will be deported to UK and face the law in UK and Saudi citizens breaking the law in UK, face the punishment in Saudi.

But isn't an extradition treaty the opposite of what you stated, meaning, that a Brit who has committed a crime is KSA and has since then gone to The UK can be brought to KSA to face the law, and vice versa?

[Southie]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

If the laws are idiotic or the punishment idiotic then it must be protested against.. But until they are changed being caught breaking them is bad judgement.

The challenge to varying degrees everywhere and in KSA towards one end of that range is the ability of people to challenge a law, either via representative power, or via civil disobedience.

Southie- as far as the Saudi assaulting prince goes, last I heard he was out on bail but still in US. Would be really poor showing if he was allowed to leave.

X2 it was mentioned here in the thread re the prince that he has gone back to Saudia.

Re bad judgment yes I agree he had bad judgment. However, that does not mean one needs to support the punishment meted out. International pressure should be broth to bear not only on this persons behalf but on the behalf of poor souls who get caught in draconian laws regardless of geography.

Saudia appears to be having the mothers of all draconian laws

[X2]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

X2 it was mentioned here in the thread re the prince that he has gone back to Saudia.

Re bad judgment yes I agree he had bad judgment. However, that does not mean one needs to support the punishment meted out. International pressure should be broth to bear not only on this persons behalf but on the behalf of poor souls who get caught in draconian laws regardless of geography.

Saudia appears to be having the mothers of all draconian laws

Oh don't get me wrong, I am in no way supporting the extreme punishment. I don't have an issue with the law of alcohol possession etc, but the punishment is too much and sadly there are no real avenues locally to protest against it. Which makes it even more important for international pressure. hey maybe UN human rights group can apply pressure, ...wait...ummm no somehow these ass clowns are on it.

[Southie]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

Oh don't get me wrong, I am in no way supporting the extreme punishment. I don't have an issue with the law of alcohol possession etc, but the punishment is too much and sadly there are no real avenues locally to protest against it. Which makes it even more important for international pressure. hey maybe UN human rights group can apply pressure, ...wait...ummm no somehow these ass clowns are on it.

There is a post in this thread that raised several maybes in terms of what this person (and others) may have done after consuming alcohol. The post also conjectured - if that is a word - that this person may have made the wine himself and may have sold to others.

And hence the poster justified this punishment.

[mahool]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

There prince party in America… sex , drug , alcohol…
Us wqat kion Saudi police ki mayyaa mar jati hia…

[X2]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

There is a post in this thread that raised several maybes in terms of what this person (and others) may have done after consuming alcohol. The post also conjectured - if that is a word - that this person may have made the wine himself and may have sold to others.

And hence the poster justified this punishment.

Maybe that post should have fewer maybe and more facts...maybe that would have been a better approach.

[Southie]

Re: British Pensioner Sentenced to 350 Lashes in Saudi Arabia

^ maybe