When Sodom was restored

Very few crime stories of a similar nature get published in local newspapers. Until they're picked up by the international media that is. The story of a 15-year old Swiss-French victim of homosexual rape, Alexandre Robert, made big headlines all over the world.

Homosexual rape happens everywhere, conceded the victim's mother, Veronique Robert, except the tendency to criminalise the victim seems to be something almost exclusive to the Gulf - and in this case, Dubai.

Mrs Robert has set up a website urging people to boycott Dubai. Well, she has every right to be angry, especially that one of the rapists, a 36-year old man who has been described as a "repeat offender", turned out to be HIV positive. This fact, it seems, was deliberately hidden from her, delaying by that any possible early treatment of her son. The rapist also confessed to being drunk while committing the crime. How the authorities had turned a blind eye to such a violation makes one wonder about those who run the judiciary in this country. More often than not, laws and punishments are inconsistent.

Muslims are prohibited from purchasing or consuming alcohol. In fact, for non-Muslims to purchase alcohol in the country, they'll need to have an Alcohol License issued - something which is not available for Muslims. If found to be drunk, a Muslim may face up to 80 lashes, a jail term, and a fine. The 36-year old rapist was drunk, according to news reports, yet there was no mention of that in court. He, and the 18-year old accomplice, were sentenced to 15-years in jail. What about the lashings?

This reminds me of something that had happened here two years ago. Police forces raided a chalet in the Ghantout area between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where a "mass homosexual wedding" was taking place. Those individuals who had engaged in consensual acts of homosexuality were to be punished by government-ordered psychological and male-hormone treatments; lashings; and a five-year jail term. Whether or not they had been subjected to either or all of the aforementioned 'disciplinary measures' remains unknown.

The point is, when it was consensual, the violators were treated more harshly. I'm afraid someone, somewhere is sending out the wrong message. Homosexual rapists get away with less than a life sentence; no lashings; and no psychological or hormone treatments? Disgusting.

It is worth mentioning that rape according to Shariah law falls under the Hirabah provision. Hirabah can be defined as "terrorism," "unlawful warfare," or "any act that threatens the security and stability of society at large." Robbery, piracy, and rape are considered some of the crimes that fall under Hirabah, and are punishable by death.

Does it make a difference if the rape victim is a male?

Now that Dubai is not a strict, Shariah-applying emirate, you'd think Saudi Arabia would at least punish rapists without having to blame the victims. Is it a surprise at all that an equally disturbing - if not worse - rape incident in the Kingdom had made international headlines for the same reason: criminalising and punishing the victim.