Friday, December 23, 2011

The woman who was beheaded in Saudi Arabia for sorcery

"A 60-year-old Saudi woman was executed last week and the beheading was reportedly done in "three stages" so that it could be slow and painful to maximise punishment corresponding with the severity of her crime. In a world where killers, rapists, swindlers and other criminals roam free, this woman lost her life over a crime that is mother's milk to many criminals in many countries. Amina bint Abdel Halim Nassar died a grisly death for practicing witchcraft and sorcery.  What exactly was the nature of her crime? When the authorities searched her home they found a book about witchcraft, 35 vials and glass bottles full of strange potions that were used to perform the tricks of her trade. Amina feigned to have the healing power and then sold a vial and three bottles to each patient for $400. Nobody died because of her spurious medicine. No case of aggravation has been reported due to her deceptive treatment. No report of anybody being cured by her shamanistic method of medicine either. We do not even know if any of the disgruntled patients complained to the authorities after they found out she had duped them. But the Saudi authorities found out anyway, and they found out she was taking advantage of gullible people. By god that happens to people in this country everyday! Doctors and hospitals regularly swindle their patients. Wrong diagnosis and wrong treatment often create complications that make patients suffer immensely more than their actual illness. Many patients also die because their doctors are grossly negligent." (thanks Tanweer)