Homosexual-cum-impostor cop sentenced to jail, lashes

By RIMA AL-MUKHTAR | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: A 27-year-old man who was arrested in January on three charges, including homosexuality, was sentenced to one year in prison and 1,000 lashes and fined SR5,000, local media reported on Wednesday.

The man, who has not been named by officials, was arrested in January after a video was widely viewed locally. Rumors began circulating as to the origins of the video and the background of the man depicted in it, causing local police to release a statement this week confirming the arrest.

The video depicts a man with long hair dressed in a police uniform flirting with the man filming him. He asks for the cameraman’s driver’s license, then demands “physical comfort” after saying the license is expired. At one point the man displays a firearm.

Toward the end of the two-and-a-half minute clip, the man begins to partially undress and rub his chest to the sound of club music emanating from the car stereo.

He was charged with impersonating a police officer, committing a “general security” offense and being homosexual.

The man had previously been charged with homosexuality and was sentenced to counseling and memorizing a chapter of the Qur’an.

One newspaper interviewed the man’s father, who claims his son is mentally unstable and was seduced by his friend to perform for the camera. The father was unaware of the video before his son was arrested.

Comments

RENE

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Goodness! Can't people take a joke? It's just a guy who is acting silly and will probably end up regretting what he did in the long run. I don't see why the courts have to get involved over this. It's just art imitating life. It's not like the police have never demanded similar things before, right?????

TORVIG

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I agree with his father. Clearly the man is mentally unstable.

I live in Seattle. It is woeful to see what this illness has wraught on my city.

DAVE S

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I am puzzled, my reading of the article suggests that some of the 1000 lashes are for being a homosexual, added to this the poor guy seems to have been in trouble with the authorities before because of his sexual orientation. However, I notice in your terms and conditions for comments, that insults and offensive comments about peoples sexual orientation will not be posted. Fair and reasonable I believe. Why then are lashes warranted?

PACO LAGOS

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indignation!!!

SOMEONE

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I disagree with saying that he will regret this. He will probably be glad to be taught a lesson about the country he lives in, and might take refuge in another country.
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