A man has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for witchcraft because he makes predictions on television.
Ali Sibat is not even a Saudi national. The Lebanese citizen was only visiting Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage when he was arrested in Medina last year.
A court in the city condemned him as a witch on November 9.
The only evidence presented in court was reportedly the claim he appeared regularly on Lebanese satellite issuing general advice on life and making predictions about the future.
The case is causing outrage among human rights campaigners but has made little news elsewhere despite the ludicrous nature of the charges and the extraordinary severity of Sibat’s sentence.
“Saudi courts are sanctioning a literal witch hunt by the religious police,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.
“The crime of witchcraft is being used against all sorts of behavior, with the cruel threat of state sanctioned executions.”
Ali Sibat’s supporters say he was denied a lawyer at his trial and was tricked into making a confession.
[More]
Notes:
The Hajj has just started. It’s interesting to note the Saudi’s are weeding people out for special attention.
Hmmm, I predict the future all the time (especially when it concerns my children and their choices), and I am seldom wrong. My children roll their eyes at my pronouncements but more often than not I am vindicated in the end. Is it second sight, or perhaps living and observing life in action? I’ll take Saudi Arabia off my “to visit list”. Hate to lose my head. Cheers.
I’d scratch Africa off your list to fernstalbert —- the Christians there are not exactly what one would consider tolerant either