[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 864 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 864

Condemning Saudi Arabia for sentencing a gang-rape victim to 200 lashes 
 and 6 months in prison and calling for King Abdullah to overturn the 
                                verdict.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 11, 2007

  Ms. Castor (for herself, Ms. DeLauro, and Mrs. Lowey) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Condemning Saudi Arabia for sentencing a gang-rape victim to 200 lashes 
 and 6 months in prison and calling for King Abdullah to overturn the 
                                verdict.

Whereas in 2006, a teenage woman known as the ``Girl from Qatif'' and her male 
        friend were abducted and she was later gang raped by 7 men in Saudi 
        Arabia;
Whereas in November 2006, after she had suffered this terrible violence against 
        her, she was sentenced to 90 lashes by the General Court of Qatif 
        because, immediately prior to becoming victim of this violent assault, 
        she was alone with a man not related to her;
Whereas in November 2007, after a review of the verdict by the Supreme Council 
        of the Judiciary, Saudi Arabia's highest court, the Qatif Court 
        increased her sentence to 200 lashes and 6 months in prison for publicly 
        speaking out against the verdict;
Whereas the victim remains under house arrest until her sentence is enforced;
Whereas the sentence has prompted international outrage;
Whereas rape is a barbaric act and an attempt to exert power, it is a human 
        rights violation and in any culture women should be afforded the basic 
        right to be in society without the threat of violence;
Whereas these actions on the part of Saudi Arabia will prevent victims of rape 
        in Saudi Arabia from reporting these crimes and shield the perpetrators 
        of such acts from prosecution;
Whereas United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, said 
        in a statement ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of 
        Violence against Women ``A woman will not report rape if we continue to 
        stigmatize the victims of violence rather than the perpetrators'';
Whereas many human rights groups have called on Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah to 
        invalidate the verdict and have all charges dropped against the victim; 
        and
Whereas Saudi King Abdullah decreed in October 2007 for judicial reforms 
        including establishing a Supreme Court: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns rape as a barbaric and inhumane act;
            (2) supports rape victims' rights to seek legal action 
        against their attackers;
            (3) strongly supports rape victims and their right to be 
        free from violence and certainly prosecution after violence has 
        been done against them;
            (4) calls on Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah to overturn the 
        verdict against the ``Girl from Qatif'' and set the victim 
        free; and
            (5) calls on Saudi Arabia to take immediate steps to 
        undertake promised judicial reforms.
                                 <all>