From Compass Direct. Edited to supplement a previous Rantburg posting.
.... Without explanation, an Islamic court in Riyadh ignored [Brian] O'Connor's previous charge of "spreading Christianity," under which he has already been jailed for seven months. Instead, the Indian national was sentenced on October 20 to three more months in jail, along with a punishment of 300 lashes, for the liquor accusations. But O'Connor refused to accept the verdict, declaring to the court that he was not guilty of any crime. When he refused to accept and sign the verdict, the court granted him 10 days to re-think his decision.
O'Connor again declined, insisting he would not change his decision. The judge then warned him that his refusal would send his case up to the high court. Such an appeal process would delay even further the settlement of his case, he was told, possibly resulting in an even harsher penalty if he was still found "guilty."
Jailed since March 25, O'Connor was first brought to court on September 15, when he was finally informed of three formal charges filed against him. At that time, he was told that the muttawa (Muslim religious police) who arrested him had accused him of having 12 bottles of liquor in his possession, along with evidence that he had sold liquor. A group of seven muttawa abducted O'Connor off a Riyadh street and tortured him severely before turning him over to a local police station. He has been incarcerated at Riyadh's Al-Hair Prison since April 4. |