By MARIAM NIHAL | ARAB NEWS
JEDDAH: The lashing punishment handed to Shayma Jastaniah for flouting the driving ban has caused outrage among Saudis and expatriates living in the Kingdom.
Shayma, in her 30s, was found guilty of driving without permission and sentenced to 10 lashes on Tuesday, a day after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah granted Saudi women the right to vote and run for municipality council positions and sit on the Shoura Council as full members.
Sources close to Shayma’s family said she had appealed the sentence.
Muna AbuSulayman, social activist and United Nations goodwill ambassador, told Arab News the timing of the sentence is “catastrophic from a PR point of view,” as it came so soon after the king’s announcement (granting women the right to vote and stand for elections).
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Categories: Asia, Crime, Human Rights, Law and Religion, Saudi Arabia, Sharia