It looks like pressure from the White House influenced the decision by King Abdullah to pardon the woman, who was sentenced to six months in prison and 200 lashes for “being alone with a man not related to her”.
Outrage over the sentence prompted unusually strong comments from President Bush, who said that if the same thing had happened to one of his daughters, he would be “angry” at a government that didn’t protect the victim. The White House called the sentence “outrageous.”
In past weeks, Saudi officials have bristled at the criticism of what they consider an internal affair – but also appeared wary of hurting their image in the United States.
Bush’s National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the White House thinks Saudi King Abdullah “made the right decision” by pardoning the woman.
Well, duh.
She was initially sentenced in November 2006 to several months in prison and 90 lashes for being alone in a car with a man with whom she was neither related nor married, a violation of the kingdom’s strict segregation of the sexes.
The sentence was increased because she had had the audacity to complain, and take her case to the media.
Hat tip: Crime Scene KC
Nice Deb 