Woman to be executed for being a witch

[kellymaureen]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080214/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_human_rights;_ylt=Al.OxR8uf5wTK8SEBdWsYNxvaA8F

BEIRUT, Lebanon - A leading human rights group appealed to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah on Thursday to stop the execution of a woman accused of witchcraft and performing supernatural acts.

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The New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement that the kingdom's religious police who arrested and interrogated Fawza Falih, and the judges who tried her in the northern town of Quraiyat never gave her the opportunity to prove her innocence in the face of "absurd charges that have no basis in law."

Falih's case underscores shortcomings in Saudi Arabia's Islamic legal system in which rules of evidence are shaky, lawyers are not always present and sentences often depend on the whim of judges.

The most frequent victims are women, who already suffer severe restrictions on daily life in Saudi Arabia: They cannot drive, appear before a judge without a male representative, or travel abroad without a male guardian's permission.

Witchcraft is considered an offense against Islam in the conservative kingdom.

In Falih's case, the judges relied on a coerced confession and on the statements of witnesses who said she had "bewitched" them to convict her in April 2006, according to the group.

Falih later retracted her confession in court, claiming it was extracted under duress, and said that as an illiterate woman, she did not understand the document she was forced to fingerprint.

"The fact that Saudi judges still conduct trials for unprovable crimes like 'witchcraft' underscores their inability to carry out objective criminal investigations," said Joe Stork, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

There was no immediate comment on the statement from Saudi Arabia, where government offices are closed on Thursdays, the start of the Muslim weekend.

"Fawza Falih's case is an example of how the authorities failed to comply even with existing safeguards in the Saudi justice system," he added.

The Saudi court cited an instance in which a man allegedly became impotent after being bewitched by Falih, the rights group said.

The Saudi court cited an instance in which a man allegedly became impotent after being bewitched by Falih, the rights group said.

 

2008 and muslim countries are STILL prosecuting and executing women for "witchcraft" ....and osama obama wants to TALK with these morons

[kellymaureen]

I dont believe in witchcraft, but the point is that its not something that can be proven.  If you read the whole article, when she was arrested the police gave her a chance to "prove she was not a witch"...how can you prove that?  How can they prove she was?  Maybe his camel injured him and he was too embarassed to tell the real story who knows....but to be executing people for witchcraft in 2008 is ridiculous.

[Tina Greco - Melbourne]

I guess Muslims are witches too if they believe witches have any powers. If witchcraft is idolatry, then why do they believe witches can make someone impotent?

Its easier to balme the woman, for a man's lack of ability. Even in Western countries I am sure many men would use that excuse as well.

[Ari]

This is more proof that Islam is only about 500 years behind the times.

[newman]

I've always been perplexed by witch trials.

Doesn't the simple fact that the accused 'witch' does not turn those about to kill her into frogs prove her innocence?

[Tina Greco - Melbourne]

I've always been perplexed by witch trials.

Doesn't the simple fact that the accused 'witch' does not turn those about to kill her into frogs prove her innocence?

You would think that 

[newman]

And am not remotely afraid of anything a Wiccan will do.

On this we're in full agreement.

Wiccans had a knowledge of natural medicine that would rival that of the chinese. Since the church all but wiped them out it was lost.

Wicca had NOTHING to do with Satan, devils or anything evil. It was a benign pagan faith that was more benign than that prscticed by amerindians.

[Tina Greco - Melbourne]

And am not remotely afraid of anything a Wiccan will do.

On this we're in full agreement.

Wiccans had a knowledge of natural medicine that would rival that of the chinese. Since the church all but wiped them out it was lost.

Wicca had NOTHING to do with Satan, devils or anything evil. It was a benign pagan faith that was more benign than that prscticed by amerindians.

 

[HiWarp]

This is more proof that Islam is only about 500 years behind the times.

This is actually positive news.  Everyone says that muslims are 500 years behind the times.  But the last witch trial in Salem, MA was help in 1693 so they are only 315 years behind the times.  Things are actually getting better!

[Tina Greco - Melbourne]

Well Wicca is a nature religion, the only thing I disagreed on it in the past was the use of mother goddess and conjuring up spirits. Although their rituals are not outwardly evil, I still disagree with those type pf things.
Now, you want satanism...there are those who are involved in the dark arts and their rituals have a lot more than any wiccan would ever do.
Of the type of magik that most people would not touch it's Enochian magik, one that even Rosticrucians are forbidden to try. Plus they mention the name of G-d in their evil spellcasting.

BUT I still think that even if an enochian magi or anyone else puts a "spell"on someone NOTHING will happen.
People only fall victim to their hysteria and nottheir invisible spell. Spells don't do anything to people, but those who are weak minded will believe in them and psychologically their mind will make them think they are really suffering from a spell or curse.

It's all nonsense.

Wicca has very much been hacked about in the New Age Spiritalism, even the fact you use the name wicca is proof to that. Wiccan and the name wicca, was develop thro the groups in the late 60's and Raven has made millions of dollars because of if.

But like all things if people can make a buck from it they will.