12 January 2012

Victorian Man Punished in Saudi Arabia With 75 Lashes Arrives Home

The Victorian man punished in Saudi Arabia with lashing for insulting the companions of Prophet Mohammed, Islam's holiest figure, arrived home in Melbourne, Australia on Friday.

Mansour Almaribe, 45, from Shepparton was lashed 75 times but with his jacket on, as a gesture of leniency by Saudi authorities. He was originally sentenced to be lashed 500 times and jailed for one year.

A few hours after the lashing, he boarded a plane in Dubai bound for Australia.

The father of five was met by his family at the Melbourne airport. It was a reunion as the family had not spoken to him for two months since his arrest in November in Medina, Saudi Arabia's holy city open only to Muslims. [The International Business Times] Read more