Saudi: Law against rapists sought

Jeddah - There is need to enact stringent penal laws against rapists and sexual perverts, lawyers, religious scholars, psychologists and victims of molestation have told Arab News. They noted that incidents of rape and molestation, of which most victims are minors, are increasing alarmingly in Saudi society. It has become a phenomenon with the potential to threaten the very fabric of society and undermine its security, they pointed out. Lawyer Omar Al-Khouli noted that there is no specific law to deal with cases of molestation and rape in the Kingdom. He called for enacting a law with stringent provisions to curb such immoral crimes. Molestation comes under Ta’zir crimes, for which a lighter punishment is awarded. “The punishment includes reprimanding or taking a pledge not to repeat the crime or awarding jail terms of up to 10 years,” he said, calling for tougher laws. Al-Khouli said that there should be a difference in the penalty given to those who rape minors and those who molest adults. “The punishment against those who are convicted of raping or molesting a little girl or boy must be tougher than those who target adults,” he said, noting that minors are generally not able to defend themselves. Al-Khouli is of the view that the death penalty should be given only to repeat offenders. “The first and foremost thing to curb sexual assault is to enact stringent laws. Proper awareness should be raised among family members to protect their children from such abuse,” he said. On his part, Sheikh Hassan Safar said currently it is the judge who decides the punishment for those convicted of rape and molestation. “The judge would examine all the aspects of the case, including the mental health of the accused or whether they had a sound upbringing before passing sentence,” he said, adding that awarding the death penalty would act as a deterrent. He underscored the need for carrying out a massive public campaign against crimes of rape and molestation with the participation of imams, university professors, schoolteachers and the general public. Full Story>>
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