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Saudi Law Could Sentence Man To Death For Profanity

By Howard M. Friedman

The Los Angeles Times reported last week that in Jidda, Saudi Arabia, a Turkish barber who cuts hair in the city has been in jail for 13 months for using a profanity that takes God's name in vain. Sabri Bogday cursed during an argument with a neighbor. The neighbor reported Bogday to the police. While Turkey's president Abdullah Gul has sought Bogday's release, some Saudi judges consider his offense to be heresy and infidelity, punishable by death. Other judges however treat this merely as disbelief which allows the offender to obtain release by retracting what he has said and repenting.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on June 01, 2008 (boomark / email).