“Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has pardoned the victim of a gang-rape whose sentencing to 200 lashes caused an international outcry, a Saudi newspaper said on Monday.”

Posted on December 17, 2007 by Ann Bartow

That’s the first sentence of this article and I hope it is true. The media coverage of this case has been very confusing; compare this with this, this and this. Initially it seemed like press and blog attention was making the situation worse for the woman, but in the long run, if the pardon really happens, it seems to have helped.

–Ann Bartow

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0 Responses to “Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has pardoned the victim of a gang-rape whose sentencing to 200 lashes caused an international outcry, a Saudi newspaper said on Monday.”

  1. Ralph M. Stein says:
    December 17, 2007 at 11:21 am

    There’s no question that the media spotlight led to the king’s action. But nothing has or will change for Saudi women as a result. But thank God, or Allah, or someone, for their oil!

  2. PG says:
    December 17, 2007 at 6:36 pm

    Like the schoolteacher in the Sudan who had to be pardoned, this is good news but only underscores the necessity of maintaining media focus on the effects of sharia law. Many “offenders” against (victims of) these laws never have their stories become international news. Hopefully the “moderate majority” in these nations will begin to push for reform.