To think is you don't respect Saudi law you don't go to Saudi

[Hanwillls]

I'm a very respectful person when visiting countries and will follow the local customs as long as they don't harm anyone. Saudi I strongly disagree with on many points so I wouldn't even step in the country. It does grate all these people that go of their own free will there, knowingly break the law and then pleed to not be held to the law.

I'd it's the latest case in the news you are referring to, I think he's been very dignified and taken his punishment due to him. He has served over his prison sentence uncomplainingly. The campaigning by his son is possibly to save his life as he is an elderly man with cancer who very possibly wouldn't withstand the lashes assigned to him.

I doubt anyone would go to Saudi and not be aware of some of the basic differences between their laws and hours. And even if not aware of basics, I seriously doubt anyone goi g would be unaware that the regime is restrictive and punishes harshly.

I am not commenting on the

What Through said. He's lived there for a long time, and the original problem was the sentence.

Laws and punishments but for someone to go there without informing themselves is lunacy.

Ours not hours

Wow! Good for you

It's entirely reasonable to reject and therefore challenge rules you disagree with: just because it's the law doesn't mean it's right or acceptable.

How about the people who disagree with the regime but were born there?

It's not like he's been there for a year, it's been 20+'

Can any one link this story?

You're referring to the man spared lashes for the alcohol incident?

Here you go.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34658554

I'm assuming OP is. Or she is just ranting for no reason.

So you think he should have been lashed?

Some old expat hand who's lived in the country for over 25 years and chose to break the law transporting home made booze?

He knew what he was doing. He had a choice.

More than can be said for the 50-odd% of his fellow citizens who have absolutely no rights whatsoever.

I really hope you don't mean the 74 yr old man sentenced to 350 lashes, OP? Because if you do, it would make you sound a tad inhuman.

Thank god he's getting out.

I fear for that poor man and I hope he is spared but yes - it's unbelievably stupid to drink alcohol in a country that punishes it by physical assault as well as prison.

Agree with Through

I wonder who he pissed off. There seems to be a lot of Brits in places like Dubai who do as they please and largely a blind eye is turned. He couldn't have been ignorant of the law - I am guessing he wasn't expecting the law to be enforced as a British passport offers quite a lot of protection.

I am very glad he won't be flogged - I guess inadvertently killing a Brit through corporal punishment would be highly embarrassing. However, a lot of Westerners who go to work in that region do so as it is very financially lucrative. They are largely happy to turn a blind eye to the treatment of critics of the government and the virtual enslavement of poor people from poor countries.

Everyone knows what Saudi is like. An ex-pat who chose to live there for 20 yrs (why?) would surely have known more than most.
He thought he'd get away with it. It's a tragedy for him but...

I have far far more sympathy with the young man due to be executed for attending an anti govt. rally when he was 17.

Dubai is not at all like Saudi
Saudi residents go to Dubai for holidays to drink, it's a different culture. People do not do what they like in Saudi.

Yeah that's all very well OP but what about the people who are born there and have no choice but to be there?

Saudi is a dreadful dictatorship. Calling attention to its human rights abuses is a good thing. What's awful is that Saudi citizens are treated like this all the time and we're still giving them preferential trade deals and allowing them to head human rights commissions.

Helmet I thought that had been stopped now, and he was ok??

In which case he was even more reckless. I am relieved he is to be released but I would have been surprised if they had gone through with the punishment.

It was rather unpleasant watching Phillip Hammond smarmying up to the Saudis. The sooner we can reduce our reliance on oil the better.

Dubai allows/turns a blind eye to booze.

Saudi does absolutely nothing of the sort.

Worrying posters are confusing the two regimes.