Flogging - 75 Year Old Widow

Men and women who are not immediate relatives are prohibited from 'mingling' in Saudi Arabia and on Tuesday The Independent reported the shocking story of a 75 year old widow being sentenced to a flogging. Khamisa Sawadi, who is Syrian but was married to a Saudi and lives in Saudi Arabia, was convicted and sentenced to 40 lashes last week for meeting with men who were not her immediate relatives.

Her crime was 'mingling' with two young men after she asked them to bring her loaves of bread. The men, a the nephew and his friend and business partner, were arrested by the religious police after delivering the bread to Mrs Sawadi's home.