Son of Saudi Islamic police chief to be lashed

A court in Saudi Arabia sentenced the son of one of the chiefs of the most feared Islamic police in the Gulf Kingdom for 50 lashes in public on charges of fighting, prompting his father to appeal for mercy.

In a report on Wednesday, the online Arabic language newspaper Anbakum said the court issued its sentence nearly eight months ago against the son of Sheikh Ahmed al Ghamdi, head of the Makkah branch of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the most influential religious law enforcement body in the world’s dominant oil power.

It said the court found Ghamdi’s son guilty of fighting with another man, who will also get 70 lashes with the whip in public.

“I hope the court will revise its sentence against my son, who I believe is a victim,” Ghamdi was quoted as saying.

The paper did not name the son and the other defendant nor did it make clear if they were jailed.

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