InfoAnda - 'It's About to Become More Expensive to Kill a Poor Person'

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

START appears to have support for U.S. Senate passage | 22 December 2010
Customs Agency Could Lose Authority to Investigate its Own Officers | 10 June 2011
Former Interior Secretary Udall dies at age 90 | 21 March 2010

First Couple Celebrate Inauguration With 10 Balls | 21 January 2009

Home U.S. World Entertainment Sports Business Health Science Technology Politics Offbeat Environment Travel News Articles 'It's About to Become More Expensive to Kill a Poor Person' Email Facebook Digg Twitter Buzz Up! ShareThis February 11, 2010 11:43 a.m. EST Topics: islam, offbeat, punishment, human interest, fine, religion and belief, curiosity, crime, law and justice, United States The Media Line Staff United States (TML) - Saudi Arabian officials are reevaluating the standard amount of 'blood money' awarded to the families of murder victims in the kingdom. The judiciary council is an eleven member body made up mostly of judges appointed by the Saudi king. According to Arab News, the council has dispatched officials from the General Commission of the high court in the Saudi capital Riyadh to survey market rates for camels throughout the kingdom, so as to come up with more accurate standard 'blood money' awards. Under Saudi Arabia's legal system, those convicted of murder or manslaughter are usually given the death penalty by public beheading. However, under Shari'a, Islamic law, murder and manslaughter are viewed principally as private matters, and the family of the victim is given the final say in determining the murderer's punishment. The family can require that the murderer be executed, offer a pardon, or accept financial compensation in exchange for dropping the case. The latter option, known as 'diya' or 'blood money', is the most common. Shari'a stipulates that the family of a murder victim must be given 20 young male camels and 80 female camels of varying ages as 'blood money' compensation for their loss. In interpreting this 100 camel rule, the Supreme Judiciary Council, which governs Saudi Arabia's judicial system, currently requires that at least 100,000 Saudi Riyals ($26,666) be paid to the family of a Male Muslim victim of manslaughter, and 110,000 Saudi Riyals ($29,333) to the family of a Male Muslim who is murdered. Half those amounts are paid for a Muslim female or Christan male or female, and 1/16th of those amounts are paid for all other religions. "If you kill someone, usually the punishment is death," a Saudi analyst told The Media Line on the condition of anonymity, due to the sensitivity of the subject. "It doesn't matter if it was a Pakistani, or an Indian or whatever. But what happens is that after the sentencing, the family of the murder tries to buy off the family of the victim. If they come to an agreement, the judge will cancel the death sentence." However, a number of camel owners interviewed by Arab News reported average camel prices as ranging from 3,000 Saudi Riyals ($800) to 20,000 Saudi Riyals ($5,333), making the judicial council's standard 'blood money' rates worth between five and 37 percent of the actual market value of 100 camels. In addition, in practice, 'blood money' awards vary greatly and are often influenced by business considerations and tribal rivalries. "There are prices on people, their value just depends on their gender, race, tribe and nationality," the analyst said. "It could be 100,000 riyals [$26,666]. It can be six million riyals [$1.6 million]." "So if the killer is non-Saudi, then most likely the murderer will just be killed, especially if they are Asian," they continued. "How will an Asian person who comes here to work for 500 riyals [$133] a month be able to pay 100,000 riyals [$26,666]? So basically the poor people are not able to pay so they are sentenced to death. The effect of this is that people with money rarely face justice. They pay the money and that's it." A number of Saudi Islamic scholars have called for the government to curb the business-style dealings that have come to be associated with blood money awards, but the government claims the move to revalue the standard 'blood money' rate, which was last set in 1980, comes after a rise in the price of camels throughout the Gulf. Saudi rights activists say the decision to raise the standard 'blood money' rate comes in response to extensive international criticisms of the Saudi justice system. "The problem is that people don't go by what the court suggests, so in reality there has never really been a fixed price," Wajiha Al-Huwaidar, a Saudi human rights advocate told The Media Line. "There was a lot of criticism of the injustice and lack of fairness in the blood money system, so they probably thought it's better to have a more realistic fixed price." "There should be one punishment for all," she said. "So the idea that there would be a fixed price for every person in Saudi Arabia is good so tribes don't turn a murder into a business transaction." "But the system has never been fair and I worry that a fixed price for everyone will not be the reality," Al-Huwaidar said. "On the one hand it's about to become more difficult, and expensive, to kill someone who is poor. On the other hand, rich people generally get away with the crime because they can get someone to come and make a deal with the other side." Copyright © 2003 - 2010 AHN - All rights reserved.Redistribution, republication. syndication, rewriting or broadcast is prohibited without the prior written consent of AHN.License AHN news for your website, business, digital signage network or publication. Most Popular Stories Teutul Family Ending "American Chopper," Settling Legal Matters Captain Phil Harris Of Discovery's "Deadliest Catch" Dies At 53 Susan Boyle And Her Cat Pebbles Part Ways Knoxville School Teacher Shoots Principal, Assistant UN Climate Scientists Now Say Claims About Himalayan Glaciers Not True "Real Housewives Of New York City" Returns March 4 With An All New Season Of Fights And Fiascos Bonnaroo Lineup For 2010 Includes Jay-Z, Kings Of Leon, Weezer And More Starz Shines With New Episodes Of "Spartacus: Blood And Sand" John Mayer Kisses And Tells On Ex-Girlfriends Jennifer Aniston And Jessica Simpson Recent Posts Most Popular Comments Recent Comments Popular Threads Home | U.S. | World | Entertainment | Sports | Business | Health | Sci / Tech | Politics | Weird / Offbeat Follow AHN on Twitter AHN Social News connects you with friends and the news Client Login | Submit News | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact | Content Services © 2010 AHN All Rights Reserved

Other News on Friday, 12 February 2010
News
Spain fails to shake off recession
Lacey Chabert Talks Relationships, "Mean Girls," And New Hallmark Channel Movie "Elevator Girl"
First-Time Jobless Claims Drop 43,000
Israel rerouting barrier near West Bank village
Yemen agrees truce with Shi'ite rebels to end war |
Customs Confiscates 30 Pounds Of Cannabis From Christ
California Pet Store Stops Supporting Puppy Mills
Albright says Russia has nothing to fear from NATO |
Dina Lohan Loses Shoe-Han Footwear Line Deal
Rising Healthcare Costs May Force 24 Rochester School District Employees Their Jobs
NASA Launches Delayed SDO
Clashes reported as Iran marks Revolution Day
Sudan's Bashir unlikely to win vote outright: Carter |
Maryland Rescue Teams Search For 20 Motorists Trapped In Car Due To Snowfall
Virginia's Governor Pushes For Charter Schools, Virtual Classrooms
Bosnia region faces collapse over veterans' demands: PM |
Obama Administration Report Highlights Path To Recovery
Toy makers look to tech, green materials for 2010 |
2 blasts in NW Pakistan target police officers
Source: NYC to keep Broadway closed to traffic
Hope fades as Afghan avalanche toll hits 171
Opening ceremony secrecy breached by iPhone sneak peeks |
2 blasts in NW Pakistan wound police officers
Woman's dismembered body found on LA freeway
Labor Dep't approves new rules on farm workers
Charlie Wilson, backer of 80s Afghan warlords, dies
Pakistan's forex reserves ease to $14.48 bln
Customs Confiscates 30 Pounds Of Cannabis From Christ
Marijuana May Be Tied To Male Infertility
'It's About to Become More Expensive to Kill a Poor Person'
Del Toro revives old time monster in The Wolfman |
Alec Baldwin briefly hospitalized after 911 call |
Vanessa Redgrave honored with BAFTA award |
Dennis Hopper's divorce battle getting uglier |
A Minute With: Kutcher & Garner on Valentine's Day |
Focus on divided China at 60th Berlin film festival |
Iran hails nuclear advance on Revolution Day |
China urges U.S. to cancel Obama-Dalai Lama meeting |
Lebanon Marks Fifth Anniversary of Hariri Assassination
Mexico's Calderon pledges aid in drug war |
Haiti's Ambassador Calls President Preval A Shy Man
IMF offers to help Greece; EU disappoints markets |
FBI Raids Southern Christian Leadership Conference Office; Home Of Chairman
North Korea envoy to go to U.S. for nuclear push |
Bill Keeps Growing For Mid-Atlantic, Midwest Snow Storm
Former President Bill Clinton 'In Good Spirits' Following Coronary Artery Procedure
Blair to intensify work on Mideast peace: Clinton |
Stocks Rally As Euro-Zone Nations Pledge Support For Greece
China export hubs fear labor exodus over new year |
Breaking: Former President Bill Clinton Hospitalized In New York City Area For Chest Pains
Spacewalkers Camping Out In Space Station Airlock To Adjust To Reduced Air Pressure Before 1st Of 3 Spacewalks
Google staunchly defends pact to digitize books |
Toy makers look to tech, green materials for 2010 |
Opening ceremony secrecy breached by iPhone sneak peeks |
Palm suspends production due to Chinese New Year: source |
Motorola to split business into two in 2011 |
MySpace CEO steps down |
Sweden beats U.S. to top tech usage ranking |
iPad costs $229 to produce, says iSuppli |
East Coast digs out from storm for record books
Iran to shut down Google email service: report |
Medicines not working? There's an app for that |
Philippine prosecutors charge 43 suspected rebels
Australia cyber attacks could last 'months': hackers
Fashion world's provocateur McQueen dead at 40 |
Polanski film comes to Berlin without director |
Valentine's Day poised for box-office win |
Alec Baldwin briefly hospitalized after 911 call |
Del Toro revives old time monster in The Wolfman |
Vanessa Redgrave honored with BAFTA award |
Dennis Hopper's divorce battle getting uglier |
Disney plans to narrow Alice DVD release window |
Ke$ha holds atop Hot 100, Pink's Glitter glows |
Official: Alec Baldwin examined at NYC hospital
Focus on divided China at 60th Berlin film festival |
Five killed as U.S., Iraqi troops raid border village |
Person Of Interest Named In Murder Of Florida Girl
Looming NATO offensive raises few Afghan spirits |
The Killers Deny Split Rumors, Cancel Australian Shows
Deplorable services dampen Iraqi appetite to vote |
Bill Clinton 'In Good Spirits' After Surgery
Miranda Cosgrove Named Newest Neutrogena Face
Ukraine turmoil as defiant Tymoshenko clings on as PM |
Heidi Klum And Paulina Porizkova To Visit "Desperate Housewives"
Yemen Shi'ite rebels breach truce |
British security chief denies collusion in torture |
Rare snowfall in Rome as cold snap grips Italy |
Hungarian, 22, planned to kill 22 at random: police |
Police examine whether UK prince drove into policeman |
Google, Apple pile pressure on phone world |
U.S. sets grants for health technology, job training |
Brittany Murphy's last film set for release this year |
Bollywood film sparks militant Hindu rage in India |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01