Saudi King Reverses Punishment For Woman Caught Driving

The official declined to elaborate on the monarch's decision, and spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

A Saudi court on Tuesday found Shaima Jastaina guilty of violating the driving ban, and sentenced her to 10 lashes. The verdict took Saudi women by surprise, coming just a day after King Abdullah promised to protect women's rights and decreed that women would be allowed to participate in municipal elections in 2015. Abdullah also promised to appoint women to a currently all-male advisory body known as the Shura Council.

 

AgentOrange - 9/29/2011 9:13:25 AM

+8 Boost

Wow, moving from the 8th century all the way up to the 12th in less than a week.
Pretty impressive.

Steve - 9/29/2011 6:18:21 PM

+3 Boost

Keep in mind that women only got the vote in the US in the early 20th century.

JB007 - 9/29/2011 9:30:26 AM

-4 Boost

What the hell was she doing driving the car?? She was supposed to be at home in the kitchen cooking my dinner !!!

jimmythepimp - 10/1/2011 10:31:40 AM

+1 Boost

LOL, right on brother.

1c3am5 - 9/29/2011 11:00:36 AM

-1 Boost

Who gives a shit what they do in their own country? Must we impose our western values on the entire world? It's not like we're preventing a genocide. We should be more like Star Trek's prime directive, and stay the F out of other nations customs/beliefs.

g2ok - 9/29/2011 11:59:50 AM

+4 Boost

It is our troops that protected these countries in the Gulf War and after, so yes, we get to impose our civilized secular democratic views on these mid-evil kingdoms that fund terrorists through proxy organizations.

1c3am5 - 9/29/2011 12:24:39 PM

0 Boost

Oh, I see... So any place we've ever had troops is now under our social influence? Well, any place without a nuke I guess...

topneuro - 9/29/2011 12:44:01 PM

+5 Boost

This has nothing to do with “western values”. It appears that you are so far from reality (Startrek? Really?) that the only thing that might convince you that flailing with 10 lashes a woman for driving a car is so fundamentally wrong, that only gender change surgery, as I assume you are a male, might make you understand.

1c3am5 - 9/29/2011 12:50:42 PM

0 Boost

There are plenty of things I find wrong in this world; the treatment of Saudi women amongst them. However, it's almost a novelty-level concern... As the article states, the punishment has never be administered, and it won't be in this case. Plenty of bigger fish to fry.

cdoke - 9/29/2011 1:11:00 PM

+2 Boost

Listen, while I find the whole ordeal rather backward, you have to acknowledge that there are complex cultural and political issues in the Kingdom fo the House of Saud. Not the least of which is the fact that most of the populace doesn't like the royal family, who are fairly westernized in general. Don't be so judgemental.

mini22 - 10/1/2011 12:26:07 AM

+1 Boost

The King must be sucking up to the US for somthing they need. Therefore it makes Saudi Arabia look good when they suddenly get a small case of "Christian Values". Once they get what they want from the US they will probably retrack this women down and put her in prison for the rest of her life.

reverend - 10/1/2011 3:06:21 AM

+1 Boost

Saudi Arabia is a country in the 21 century BC. Women have to get permission from their husband to even fart.
Saudi Arabia needs to come into the 21 century AD. women need to drive and take off their veils

i did hear a good joke. What do you call a drunk Saudi hamed what do you call a really drunk Saudi more hamed