Corpun file 8148 at www.corpun.com

CNN.com, 8 November 2001

Saudi Arabia flogs 55 youths for harassing women

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) --Saudi authorities have flogged 55 youths, including 12 foreigners, for harassing women in the capital, Riyadh, a newspaper reported Thursday.

The young men and teen-age boys received 15 lashes each. It was the second time in less than two weeks that authorities have punished a large number of young men accused of harassing women.

A special police unit responsible for patrolling large shopping centers and educational institutions in Riyadh carried out the arrests, the Arabic-language Al-Riyadh daily reported.

The youths were warned they faced imprisonment if they commit the same offense again, the Saudi daily said. It did not give the nationalities of the foreigners involved.

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Courts in the kingdom routinely order lashings for minor crimes.

Corpun file 8462 at www.corpun.com

Arab News, Jeddah/Riyadh/Dhahran, 25 November 2001

Drunkards flogged

By Mutairan Al-Namas

ARAR, 25 November - Three men in the northern border province were given 60 lashes each after the Shariah court in the region convicted them of getting drunk. A statement issued by a committee comprising the representatives of the governorate, police, and the commission for the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice said one of the accused had beaten up his parents and driven them out of his house when drunk.