Saudi Arabia: Man Sentenced to 3,000 Lashes and Five Years Jail for Abusing Parents

A Saudi Arabian court in Jeddah has sentenced an unidentified young man to five years in prison and 3,000 lashes, after he was found guilty of physically and mentally abusing his parents and family.

According to the Saudi Gazette, the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIP) charged the man with "ingratitude". The accused admitted hitting his mother, threatening his sisters and locking his father in a room.

He was also charged with the consumption of alcohol, threatening his father with a knife and indecent behaviour towards his sisters.

One of his sisters told the court her brother had already served a 12-month sentence for drug abuse. She said she saw no sign of change and asked the court to instruct he be treated for addiction before his release, citing a fear of more physical attacks.

Islamic law specifically prohibits disobeying or insulting your parents. According to the Koran, the Prophet has declared disobedience to parents to be a major sin, second only to ascribing partners to Allah.

The BIP investigates several cases of ingratitude every year, with 1,500 reported in 2012.

In June 2012, blogger Raif Badawi was arrested for disobeying his parents. However, his activist work in setting up liberal networks, in association with female rights activist Suad Al Shammari, was believed to be the real reason behind his detention.