Beer-drinking Muslim woman's caning to go ahead

[ccharles000]

http://www.rr.com/news/news/article/9000/9063205/Beer-drinking_Muslim_womans_caning_to_go_ahead

A judge in Malaysia has upheld a court verdict to cane a Muslim woman for drinking beer, news reports said Monday, re-igniting a controversy over Islamic justice in this moderate Muslim-majority country.

The Star newspaper's Web site and national news agency Bernama said the chief Shariah judge of Pahang state ruled that a Shariah High Court's verdict against Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, was correct and should stay.

If the punishment is carried out, Kartika would become the first Muslim woman to be caned in Malaysia, where about 60 percent of the 28 million people are Muslims. No date was immediately set for the caning.

Kartika, a former model and nurse, was sentenced in July to six strokes of the cane and a fine of 5,000 ringgit ($1,400) for drinking beer in December 2007 at a beach resort in violation of Islamic laws. Islam forbids Muslims from drinking alcohol.

Kartika, who pleaded guilty, refused to appeal her sentence and was on the verge of being caned on Aug. 24. But the punishment was halted at the last minute following an uproar in the media and among rights activists.

Instead, the government asked the Shariah High Court Appeals Panel in Kuantan, the capital of Pahang, to review the verdict.

"I found that the High Court Judge had acted accordingly within his jurisdiction as provided" by relevant laws of Pahang state, Pahang Shariah Chief Judge Abdul Hamid Abdul Rahman told The Star.

"As such, the decision stays," he was quoted as saying.

[hobbit709]

1. Nothing like a theocracy.

[AuntPatsy]

2. sickening that some are openly pushing for our country to follow suit...horrifying..

[The Straight Story]

3. Next thing you know, they will want to fine and jail people who smoke in bars

:evilgrin:

[Neecy]

4. I wonder how many men they cane

Funny how all of the canings you read about involve women.

[Rex]

5. Holyshit, what an oppressive society.

I'm being suppressed!

[Touchdown]

6. She should be Christian. We're kinder and gentler misogynists.

:crazy:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. You are not allowed to change religions legally in many Muslim countries

And the penalty for leaving islam is death under sharia law.

If she was not a Muslim, nothing would have happened to her.

[Touchdown]

8. I know. I'm just pre-emting the Christian smugness

...seems to have worked so far.:shrug: