Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Saudi Arabian government has defended a controversial verdict sentencing the rape victim who was given a six-month jail term and 200 lashes.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Justice said the charges have been proven against the woman as she was in a car with an unrelated male.
Standing by its decision, the Ministry of Justice said in a statement, ‘‘The charges were proven against the woman for having been in a car with unrelated male, and repeated criticism of her lawyer for talking defiantly about the judicial system.''
The court also banned the victim’s lawyer Abdul Rahman Al Lahem from further defending the woman, confiscated his license and summoned him to a disciplinary hearing later this month.
The Ministry also implied that the victim’s sentence was increased as she had spoken to the press.
''For whoever has an objection on verdicts issued, the system allows to appeal without resorting to the media,'' said the statement, the Gulf News reported.
The woman had earlier been sentenced to 90 lashes. The verdict sentencing the victim led to an international outcry.
The verdict has also drawn sharp criticism from human rights agencies. In fact, the New York based Human Rights Watch has said that such a verdict offered protection to the criminal rather than bringing justice to the victim.
“It not only sends victims of sexual violence the message that they should not press charges, but in effect offers protection and impunity to the perpetrators,” the Human Rights Watch said.
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