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TV psychic sentenced to death

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Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:42p.m.
An international human rights group has urged a Saudi court to overturn a death sentence imposed on a Lebanese man convicted of practicing witchcraft.

Human Rights Watch has urged the Saudi government in a statement released late Tuesday to halt the increasing use vaguely defined "witchcraft" charges.

Ali Sibat, a psychic who made predictions on a satellite TV channel from his home in Beirut, was sentenced by a Saudi court on November 9. He was arrested in Medina in May 2008 by members of the religious police who recognised him from the TV show.

Witchcraft, sorcery and fortune-telling are considered polytheism by the government of this deeply religious Muslim country.

AP
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Comments [3]

John
26 Nov 2009 8:09a.m.

With all due respect to religion, they have caused more deaths and suffering than all the world wars put together. There must be a clear demarcation between the religious tenants and the legal system to protect people for those with religious fervour. Likewise the legal system should be above bias, favouring no religious belief, only then can impartial justice prevail.

Jenny
26 Nov 2009 6:37a.m.

Surely this article says nothing about believing in more than one god. It is deferentiating between those who believe in spirits vs those people who believe that evil is behind spirits being present & those who practice dealing with them. 'Witchcraft' is a very broad term when it comes to prosecution.

What a curious Weta
26 Nov 2009 12:37a.m.

I would like to hear from NZ's Muslim community regarding this report. Is this what you believe, that those who are percieved to believe in more than one god must be executed?

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