An article on CNN today gives us a rather stunning example of how Islamic modesty and anti-speech laws–the bete noire of womanity–can brutalize men as well. Even though Saudi males are just about the most privileged menfolk in the world, it turns out even they are not immune to the threat from their own morals police.
A Saudi court on Wednesday sentenced a man who caused uproar by bragging about his sex life on television to five years in prison and 1,000 lashes, according to Ministry of Information officials. Mazen Abdul Jawad, a 32-year-old airline employee, spoke openly about his sexual escapades, his love of sex and losing his virginity at age 14. He made the comments on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, which aired the interview a few months ago.
Hideous, right? Can someone actually survive 1,000 lashes? And this is his sentence for merely talking about his sex life in public?
Now, granted, on a purely superficial level, Jawad sounds like an excellent candidate for Douchebags Without Borders:
On the program, Jawad is also shown in his bedroom, where he holds sexual aids up to the camera. The room is decorated with Mickey Mouse and stuffed bears in sexually suggestive positions. The cameras gave audiences a glimpse of the room’s nightclub-like chandeliers mixed with seafood-shaped wall sconces (ed: “seafood shaped?”), perfume bottles and a book in Arabic, “101 Questions About Sex,” that Jawad calls his “reference.”
Jawad, wearing a red shirt, explained that he put his phone number and details about his car — a red Mini Cooper — on his mobile phone’s Bluetooth. He says women usually call him to ask if the car is for sale but, he boasts, “some go out with me that same night.” The episode ended with him cruising the streets of Jeddah in his car looking for women.
In the US, this guy would be snapped up by VH1 and given his own prime-time reality show (“Wad of Love”, maybe?). But in Saudia Arabia, letting it all hang out is extremely dangerous.
The episode caused an uproar in deeply conservative Saudi Arabia, where sharia, or Islamic law, is practiced. Pre-marital sex is illegal, and unrelated men and women are not permitted to mingle. Speaking about promiscuous acts “is a violation of the sharia regulations on the one hand and against Saudi customs on the other,” police spokesman Suleiman Al-Mutawae told Arab News, an English-language daily newspaper in Saudi Arabia.
Of course, I shudder to think what would have happened if a woman had done something similar. Five years and 1,000 lashes might seem mild by comparison. And I won’t lie…if I could, I might send Mucker Tax off to Jeddah and see how long he lasted. But none of that changes the fact that this is pretty fucking awful.
I heard this on npr yesterday and I had the same thought. 1000 lashes??? Can a human being even survive that or is that a de facto death sentence? it’s crazy.
What they do is spread them out, apparently. Men typically get 50 lashes a week until they’ve received their full dose, women 20 or 30. http://www.slate.com/id/2204467/
Deaths are seemingly rare. One report there of someone dying when they were lashed in the head, rather than back (by accident).
Not just sadism, it’s efficient sadism! But still. Jeebus.
Ok, it’s a bit much, but it’s one way to rid ourselves of reality tv.
I know this sort of thing will make some people, mainly women, happy. If only I could bring myself to be cheerful about human suffering, even that of douchebags.
Corporal punishment is such a disgusting human creation.
How does one stand there and LASH another human being, no matter their crime?
How can any person, or group, judge themselves so superior that they can choose this fate for a person?
And what does it achieve? At the very most it cripples criminals beyond the capacity to commit more crimes. It does nothing to improve educate or enlighten a community.
grrrr.
Jawad may appear gross, but as far as I can tell he is actually a half decent sort of fellow – in a country where women can be abused in any number of ways legally, and men are entitled to use their bodies at leisure, Jawad pursues consensual sex, with willing females. Not only that, but he takes steps towards improving their enjoyment of the encounter (the sex tips book etc.)
His actions are in direct violation of a culture that not only oppresses women but uses it’s people’s sexual desire as a weapon against them – maybe his methods of protest aren’t exactly altruistic, but it’s still a spark of revolution.
Lewd and sleazy he may be, but I can think of worse characteristics in a person – like sadism.
Even though it certainly isn’t perfect, I am thankful that I live in a country where women are allowed to express their thoughts and sexuality without fear of recourse. I agree, Becky, the women involved would have surely received a much harsher punishment.