How can so many American citizens be critical of America and our treatment of others.  We are by far the fairest in treatment of suspects and extend rights to individual the farthest.  We may need to study our practices, however, to insure Ideologies counter to the Freedoms and Liberties we enjoy and declare as our heritage remain.

 Muslims often cry foul when persons speak out against Islam.  They are the first to call ‘discrimination’ into question.  They are compelled to act if that discrimination is then classified, by them, as persecution.  Yet they themselves define all other believers as second class citizens.

The testimony of one man equals that of two women; judges may discount the testimony of non-practicing Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, or persons of other religions; and female parties in court proceedings such as divorce and family law cases must deputize male relatives to speak on their behalf unless they decide to speak for themselves. (from the Quran)

Saudi Arabia’s recently filed a brief (amicus curiae) before the Supreme Court of the U.S.  It was simply another Islamist attempt to chill law enforcement, according to by Aaron Eitan Meyer  •  Apr 19, 2010 at 10:07 am at Islamic Watch (http://www.islamist-watch.org/blog/2010/04/stones-from-the-glass-house-of-saud), with unsubstantiated accusations of racism. This time, however, the Saudi glass house is on full display.  It read: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia seeks to assure that its citizens abroad are accorded the rights and protections that are accorded to the citizens of their host countries. Saudi Arabia has a substantial interest in ensuring that its citizens are accorded a right to a fair trial when prosecuted in the United States and, in particular, that they do not suffer bias.”

An interesting read, with parts excerpted and displayed below is the:

US – Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (2009 Human Rights: Saudi Arabia) Report -(2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices) dtd. March 11, 2010

 It reads, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the Al Saud family. The population is approximately 28.5 million, including 5.8 million foreigners. Since 2005, King Abdullah bin Abd Al‑Aziz Al-Saud has ruled under the title Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a reference to his responsibility for Islam’s two holiest sites in Mecca and Medina. The government bases its legitimacy on its interpretation of Shari’a (Islamic law) and the 1992 Basic Law. The Basic Law sets out the system of governance, rights of citizens, and powers and duties of the government. The law also provides that the Koran and the Traditions (Sunna) of the Prophet Muhammad serve as the country’s constitution. In 2005 the country held male‑only elections on a nonparty basis for half the members of municipal councils, the first elections for any government position since 1963. The civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.”

 Now I jump to the section on Torture.

 “c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment –

 Article 2 of the Law of Criminal Procedure and other legal provisions prohibit torture and hold criminal investigation officers accountable for any abuse of authority. Shari’a, as interpreted in the country, prohibits judges from accepting confessions obtained under duress. Government officials claimed privately that measures such as alleged MOI formal rules prohibiting torture served to ensure that such practices did not occur in the penal system. According to the governmental Human Rights Commission (HRC), torture did not occur in prisons or detention centers. HRC president Dr. Bandar Al-Aiban, who holds ministerial rank, recounted that he personally ascertained this fact by speaking privately and individually to prisoners during visits to the Eastern Province General Prison, the Security Prison in Al-Damam, Tabuk Province General Prison, Abha General Prison, and Abha Security Prison on June 15, July 4 and July 21.

Nevertheless, during the year there continued to be reports that authorities systematically subjected prisoners and detainees to torture and other physical abuse.

On October 12, the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) wrote an open letter to King Abdullah highlighting that one of its members, 73-year-old Judge Suliman Al-Reshoudi, was subjected to “severe physical and psychological tortures,” including the tying of his feet to a bed frame by two separate chains and being forced into a sitting position throughout the day and shackled at night. The prisoner has been in solitary confinement for three years without indictment because he is a reform advocate and activist, according to ACPRA.

According to AI’s July 22 report, Saudi Arabia: Assaulting Human Rights in the Name of Counter-Terrorism, security officials used various methods to intimidate and to garner information from detainees, including “severe beating with sticks, punching, and suspension from the ceiling, use of electric shocks and sleep deprivation.” An AI September 11 analysis, Saudi Arabia: Countering Terrorism with Repression, claimed that many persons were tortured to extract confessions or as punishment after conviction.

On June 5, the NGO Yemeni Network for Human Rights claimed that Saudi investigator Issa Al Zahrani tortured a noncitizen, Saleh Salim, allegedly interrogating him for 18 hours, after his leg had been broken. The investigator reportedly deprived Salim of sleep and kicked him in the testicles. The court in Asir convicted Salim of theft and sentenced him to 18 years in prison and 300 lashes. Three other defendants in the case reportedly received similar treatment and sentences. According to the Yemeni Network for Human Rights, there were hundreds of similar cases in the prisons.

During the year there were numerous reports of physical abuse by the police and the CPVPV, as well as judicially sanctioned corporal punishments including harassment of women for being alone in the company of an unrelated male. On March 13, a court sentenced 75-year-old noncitizen Khamisa Mohammad Sawadi to 40 lashes, four months’ imprisonment, and deportation for having unrelated men in her house.

On August 21, the daily Saudi Gazette reported that four Asian men were sentenced to prison terms and lashes for alcohol production and distribution. One was sentenced to five years in prison and 1,200 lashes, two others to four years and 1,000 lashes, and the fourth to two and a half years in prison and 400 lashes.

One judicially sanctioned amputation was reported. The July 24 New York Times published an account of the amputation of a thief’s hand in front of the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

There were reports that rape cases and other sexual abuses were widespread during confinement in both men’s and women’s detention centers and prisons. Although there were some female guards in women’s prisons, their supervisors were men. During the year local human rights watchers reported that young men in the Burida Prison in Qassim had been sexually abused but did not alert prison authorities due to the stigma and penalties associated with homosexual activities. Human rights activists stated that the MOI has not been responsive to requests from independent activists to investigate this allegation.”

        *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *    

 Methods of interrogation used (summarized from information above)

• tying of his feet to a bed frame by two separate chains and being forced into a sitting position throughout the day and shackled at night.
• Prisoner in solitary confinement for three years without indictment because he is a reform advocate and activist
• Security officials used various methods to intimidate and to garner information from detainees, including:
  • severe beating with sticks, punching, and
  • suspension from the ceiling,
  • use of electric shocks and
  • sleep deprivation
• Tortured a noncitizen, allegedly interrogating him for 18 hours, after his leg had been broken
• Four Asian men were sentenced to prison terms and lashes for alcohol production and distribution.
  • One sentenced to five years in prison and 1,200 lashes,
  • two others to four years and 1,000 lashes, and
  • the fourth to two and a half years in prison and 400 lashes.
• One judicially sanctioned amputation – in front of the Grand Mosque in Mecca
• Rape cases and other sexual abuses were widespread during confinement in both men’s and women’s detention centers and prisons
• Some female guards in women’s prisons – their supervisors were men
• Young men in Prison sexually abused – did not alert prison authorities due to the stigma and penalties associated with homosexual activities

  *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *         

 Summarizing other parts of the Report:

• arbitrary arrest and detention.
  • Although the law prohibits detention without charge, authorities detained without charge
    • security suspects,
    • persons who publicly criticized the government,
    • Shia religious leaders, and others who violated religious standards.
  • According to the ACPRA, the following activists were among those detained without official indictment or court ruling at year’s end:
    • Professor Abdulrahman
    • Al-Shomairi,
    • Ali Khosifan Al-Qarni,
    • attorney Mousa Al-Qarni,
    • Professor Saud Al-Hashemi,
    • Fahd Alskaree Al-Qurashi,
    • Abdulrahman bin Sadiq,
    • Saifaldeen Faisal Al-Sherif,
    • Mansour Al-Otha,
    • Abdulrahman Khan,
    • Abdulaziz Al-Khirayji, and
    • Suleiman Al-Reshoudi.

  *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *    

 And do you think this is just happening in Saudi Arabia?  How can Muslim Countries be critical of America?

 We need to understand Sharia Law.  We need to understand Islam as a whole.  We need to know it is not just a faith based approach, but encompasses all manner of living for humans under the control of the Authorities in Muslim controlled centers.  We need to see that under what may be a disguise as a Religion is an Ideology, no different than Marxism, Communism, Fascism, Hitlerism, Japanese Imperial Rule, The Spanish Inquisition or other offenses of man committed as Atheist and as Religion leaders, to gain control of their view of what is ‘right.’  If there is a more moderate form of Islam it is not reflected in the Quran.  Movements in Turkey, Morocco, Indonesia, countries considered moderate and more open to non-Muslims are finding change underway.  Factions of fundamentalists, religious police, are appearing and demanding the words of the Quran be heeded in their most explicit form.  For this to change leadership must come from the moderates in places like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, and other major Muslim areas, as well as from the religious leaders, Sunni and Shia, calling for a reform in the Quran itself.  Can that ever be possible?

 We must pray that objective minds can come to grips with a global world order that calls for civil rights for all sexes and the need for religious tolerance of all religions, to include the freedom to proselytize (thus allowing people to speak freely about what they believe).  We need open borders, less hate, less teaching of hate, less discrimination – those calling it upon themselves must also exercise the same for their people, in a leadership role, as an example, and all mankind.  From areas where dominance under the guise of Allah or any god is promoted change must emerge to allow freedom of choice, democratic governments and liberty.

 Grace and Peace