Journalist Fahd al-Jukhaidib is facing a punishment of 50 lashes and two months in prison for writing about protests over electricity cuts in Saudi Arabia. Al-Jazira, a daily national newspaper, published a story by al-Jukhaidib in September 2008 that discussed public protests by hundreds of citizens gathered in front of an electricity station in Qubba, where repeated outages had caused damage to home appliances and adversely affected local businesses. The reporter is appealing the verdict handed down by the General Court in Qubba, which agreed with the charge of “incitement to gather in front of the electricity company.”

 

Of the 50 lashes, 25 are supposed to be administered in public in front of the electricity company.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Saudi Arabia: Journalist Sentenced to Public Lashing (Human Rights Watch)