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If You Curse In Saudi Arabia, You Better Hope You Get A "Disbelief" Judge, Not A "Heresy" Judge

By John Mesirow

Turkish barber Sabri Bogday has been sentenced to beheading for "using God's name in vain," as reported by the Los Angeles Times. It happened "during an argument with a neighbor, who later complained to police." Why is the judge you get so important?

The [Arab News Daily] quoted a lawyer as saying: "Some judges consider it heresy and infidelity, and say that the accused cannot repent and so faces the death penalty. Others consider the statement to be disbelief, thus allow the accused to retract what he has said and repent and then set him free."

Mr. Bogday has already been in jail for 13 months! The Turkish President is pleading his case with the Saudi King. You can read more here.

Full post as published by Legal Juice on June 03, 2008 (boomark / email).