Saudi Arabia

Woman faces death penalty for witchcraft in Saudi

Woman faces death penalty for witchcraft after 'casting spell on 13-year-old shopper'

Daughter started acting abnormally, claims father

Saudi Arabia beheads sorcerers, says lawyer

Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, is an absolute monarchy that has no written criminal code and where court rulings are based on judges' interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

Sri Lankan woman has been arrested on suspicion of casting a spell on a 13-year-old girl on a shopping trip in Saudi Arabia.
She may face the death penalty as the Middle Eastern country is known to behead convicted sorcerers.
Police spokesman Mesfir al-Juayed confirmed yesterday that details of the woman's arrest published in local media were correct

Saudi women get the vote! Takbeer!

Women in Saudi Arabia are to be given the right to vote and run in future municipal elections, King Abdullah has announced.

He said they would also have the right to be appointed to the consultative Shura Council.

The move was welcomed by activists who have called for greater rights for women in the kingdom, which enforces a strict version of Sunni Islamic law.

The changes will occur after municipal polls on Thursday, the king said.

King Abdullah announced the move in a speech at the opening of the new term of the Shura Council - the formal body advising the king, whose members are all appointed.

2,000 Indonesian Maids Jailed Or Sheltering in Saudi Arabia

In excess of 1,700 Indonesian maids are “languishing in different jails” around Saudi Arabia, most on alleged charges of immorality, while another 300 are sheltering in Indonesian Embassy shelters because of non-payment of wages or torture, it was reported on Thursday.

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Saudi couple hammered 24 nails into Sri Lankan maid, say officials

LT Ariyawathi says her employers hammered the nails into her after she complained that her workload was too heavy

A Saudi couple tortured their Sri Lankan maid by hammering 24 nails into her hands, legs and forehead, after she complained of a too heavy workload, officials said today.

Nearly 2 million Sri Lankans sought employment overseas last year and around 1.4 million, mostly maids, were employed in the Middle East. Many have complained of physical abuse or harassment. LT Ariyawathi, a 49-year old mother of three, returned home on Friday after five months in Saudi Arabia.