Order to abolish whipping in Saudi Arabia

Order to abolish whipping in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has ordered the abolition of flogging for crimes.

According to foreign media, the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has ordered that the punishment of flogging in the country will be changed to imprisonment, fine or both.

According to a Saudi court document, the move was made on the instructions of King Salman of Saudi Arabia, while the reform is being carried out under the direct supervision of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Explaining the reason for this decision, it is said that this decision is an extension of the human rights reforms which have been introduced under the direction of King Salman and under the direct supervision of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

It should be noted that in Saudi Arabia, many crimes are flogged and individual judges punish the perpetrators according to Islamic teachings.

Human rights groups have cited numerous cases in the past in which Saudi judges have flogged perpetrators of a number of crimes, including harassment and public drug use.

Awad al-Awad, head of the state-backed Human Rights Commission (HRC), told Reuters that the reform was a "memorable step" on Saudi Arabia's human rights agenda and one of several recent reforms in the kingdom.

Adam Kogley, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa division, said it was a welcome change, but it should have happened many years ago.

He said there were no longer any obstacles in Saudi Arabia's way to reform its unfair judicial system.