Human Rights Voices

While the UN devotes its human rights operations to the demonization of the democratic state of Israel above all others and condemns the United States more often than the vast majority of non-democracies around the world, the voices of real victims around the world must be heard.

Saudi Arabia, February 4, 2013

Saudi preacher who raped, murdered daughter freed

Original source

Ynet

A Saudi preacher who tortured his five-year-old daughter to death has been released after agreeing to pay 'blood money', The Daily Mail reported.

Lama al-Ghamdi died in October having suffered multiple injuries including a crushed skull, broken ribs and left arm, extensive bruising and burns, according to the report.

She had also been repeatedly raped and then burned.

Her father Fayhan al-Ghamdi, a prominent Islamist preacher who regularly appears on television in Saudi Arabia, served only a few months in jail despite admitting to having used a cane and cables to inflict the injuries.

Women's rights activists said al-Ghamdi had doubted Lama's virginity and had her checked up by a medic.

Rather than the death penalty or a long prison sentence, the judge in the case ruled the prosecution could only seek 'blood money', according to activists.

According to the report, the judge ruled the few months al-Ghamdi spent in prison since his arrest in November was sufficient punishment.

He has reportedly agreed to pay £31,000 ($50,000), which is believed to have gone to Lama's mother.

Activists say under Islamic laws a father cannot be executed for murdering his children. Husbands can also not be executed for murdering their wives, they say.

A social media campaign is now gaining momentum after the ruling was publicized.