Saudi Princess granted Asylum in the UK

[Gromit]

A Saudi Arabian princess who had an illegitimate child with a British man has successfully sought asylum in Britain after claiming she would face the death penalty if she went home.

The woman told the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal that she could be liable to death by stoning under Sharia law if she returned, or face an honour killing.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/midd leeast/saudiarabia/5869038/Saudi-Arabian-princ ess-seeks-asylum-in-Britain-over-illegitimate- child.html

A good example of the Asylum process working successfully?

[sara3]

I haven't read the link (I will) but in theory, asylum is there for those genuinely facing such threats in their own country.

[youngmafbog]

This type of case is exactly what Asylum is for.

Maind you how long it will be in this country before Sharia law is implemented and she has to run again who knows.

[New Judge]

So you're saying, youngmafblog, that the asylum system is designed to enable people to escape justice in their country of origin?

Is it the nature of the offence or the potential penalty, or both, which you believe entitles the alleged offender to decamp and seek shelter elsewhere?.

[R1Geezer]

Yes I think this is a good eample of what asylum is for.

Generally judge I would not agree it' should be used to allow someone to escape justice in their own country but when the law in question is the Sharia and the "crime" is not really a crime then I can see how one might allow asylum.

[paraffin]

According to international law, a refugee is "someone who seeks refuge in a foreign country because of war and violence, or out of fear of persecution "on account of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion, or membership in a political social group"." The refugee has to satisfy the criteria before officially becoming an asylum seeker.

The way I understand it, therefore, is that this lady should not have been granted asylum under the above.

I'm not saying that I condone Sharia law, I don't, but strictly on what the international law says, she did not fulfill the definition of what is required to be classified as an asylum seeker.

Hence, the answer to the question posed is "no".

[R1Geezer]

So you would say stoning or beheading are in any way forms of persecution based on differring opinion then then parafin? Right oh!

[trt]

She said she became pregnant the following year and persuaded her husband to let her return to the UK so she could give birth in secret.
........................................................................................................................................

I doubt her husband would have allowed her to return to have the baby here!!!

[New Judge]

It's not differing opinion, Geezer, it's the law of (their) land. Whether we agree or disagree with it is not the issue. Countries are entitled to make what laws they like (except the UK and other European countries, that is, which have to abide by European law).

Just say, for example, there was a country which believed that imprisonment was barbaric and infringed "Human Rights". Someone close to you is murdered. The alleged perpetrator decamps from the UK and seeks asylum in this fictitious country in order to avoid the persecution of being imprisoned. How would you feel? I imagine you would feel that the perpetrator is escaping justice according to the law of his land, and would probably believe that any country that does not include imprisonment as a proper sanction for murder was being ridiculous.

My point is, just because something seems outrageous to us, it does not follow that it seems the same to everybody else. Presumable the Saudi princess knew the law (and potential penalty) before she acted the way she did.

[keyplus90]

We all know what abuse of "human rights" has given to this country. Then yes, of course we are known to give shelter to the criminals from around the world thinking that other countries have no justice system at all or we do not like their punishments. You are right that having sex and getting pregnant out of marriage was her right. I am wondering if she would be on Jeremy Kyles show to have DNA test to find out about the father. After all there are so many who do not know who their father might be so it is quite normal here.
The only time we regret is when anyone of these would do something to damage society here. Then again this is the country where murderer has more rights than the murdered, burglar has more rights than the burgled, Rapist has more right than the one raped, paedophile has more human right than the molested kids. So no wonder people are talking about capital punishments here so let�s see how long we can deny the reality?


And yes I am ready for backlash.

[paraffin]

Geezer:

There was I thinking that Gromit's post was about the asylum process?

Did I make any remark or give an opinion on stoning, beheading, or Saudi laws? Don't think so.

I was too busy answering the question to the best of my limited ability.

[rov1200]

Sharia law is already practised in the UK although mainly in secret. Headless bodies are littering our countryside. Whose to say whether she is safe here. We do a lot of business with the Saudis and they have many contacts here. She would be safer in the US.

[Booldawg]

I watched a documentary on TV well over 10 years ago about an asian girl who struck up a relationship with a British guy and had to go on the run in UK as her own family were prepared to kill her.

They had to constantly be on the move as the asian communities all over the UK would have no problem in helping her family locating her. They came close several times. The asian network is alot tighter than we imagine - bearing in mind this was well over 10 years ago.

Even though I agree this lady has a genuine case to seek asylum in this country I feel that the UK isnt neccessary a safe bet for someone who's bucked the sharia law system. I dont think she'll be safe.

[caththecrazy]

"someone who seeks refuge in a foreign country because of war and violence, or out of fear of persecution "

She would be persecuted because she's a woman. How many male Saudi diplomats or princes come here and drink and have affairs are ever persecuted or punished when they return home? Not many.

[naomi24]

^^ Not many? A more accurate guess would be none, Cath. The fate of other women in this situation who aren't wealthy and who are unable to escape doesn't bear thinking of.

[steg]

If she can't live by the laws of her land, how can she be expected to live by the laws of ours.

[caththecrazy]

The same sentiment should be applied to the men of her country who flaut the law when it suits.

[naomi24]

The problem there, Cath, is that men have made the rules, and very conveniently they don't apply those rules to themselves, so it's never going to happen. In Islam, woman are an underclass.

[naomi24]

Hi Wiz, well, maybe you're right to a degree, but I'll bet the woman in the video you watched wasn't Jewish or Christian.