UK man facing Saudi lashes plead with PM

A valid argument if the law was followed by anyone. There was a story of a alcohol smuggler being arrested. His biggest client had been the Saudi Prince in charge of alcohol enforcement. The majority of the elites drink alcohol and brazenly break the laws over there. The whole system is a corrupt cesspit.

In principle I agree it was stupid of the guy, but Saudi is corrupt as hell. Their royal family are massive drunks and I really could see people planting alcohol on people they didn't like, bribing police to have them convicted and all sorts of foul play.

Whose laws are they? They aren't the people's laws. Nobody voted for them. The argument only applies if you think the ownership of an entire state by one family, who then make the rules and punishments for thousands or millions of others, is legitimate.

He didn't bribe the right person.

In principle I agree it was stupid of the guy, but Saudi is corrupt as hell. Their royal family are massive drunks and I really could see people planting alcohol on people they didn't like, bribing police to have them convicted and all sorts of foul play.

I think it's sharia law so it was taken from their religion. Maybe they may have twisted it to suit their own needs,but as far as I know it's based on sharia law

I stayed for a night or two about a year ago, my uncle was looking to buy a property there. It was free flowing at the hotel.

Here's a clip from travel website:
- on the way home from the bottle shops in Ajman or Ras Al Khaimah, where you can buy alcohol without a licence.

Ajman well known for it's parties etc. Lots of Russians about :P

It's like a person from Colorado where weed is legal coming over here, smoking a joint in their car and then wondering why they got arrested and charged.

If you don't like Saudi rules, don't go to Saudi (probably in this guy's case to earn lots of money).

No sympathy

I've spent quite a bit of time in the middle east in some posh hotels where their elite like to come. It's pure hypocrisy they do everything - prostitutes, drugs, alcohol the lot!

So if the UK had a law proscribing the stoning of anyone who engaged in sodomy (regardless of sexuality), would you defend the implementation of that law?

Basically, do you think there is ever a case where your above defence of the law wouldn't apply? The answer to this, I hope, is yes.

Indeed it is - so why should they be able to impose their religion on others? What makes it their decision?

Lol I actually stayed in Sharjah and was told I couldn't have alcohol,same goes for Ajman. I don't know why! Maybe they're independent hotels? But I don't get it,they said I would have to go to Dubai which was a 20 mins drive,so, in that day I just decided to go to the Palm Atlantis aquarium and then went inside their restaurants and had a drink. Did you uncle get a tower?

So if the UK had a law proscribing the stoning of anyone who engaged in sodomy (regardless of sexuality), would you defend the implementation of that law?

Basically, do you think there is ever a case where your above defence of the law wouldn't apply? The answer to this, I hope, is yes.

Whose laws are they? They aren't the people's laws. Nobody voted for them. The argument only applies if you think the ownership of an entire state by one family, who then make the rules and punishments for thousands or millions of others, is legitimate.

Majority of people living there are Muslims and it's a holy place where people go to hajj etc. I don't know. I myself am not a Muslim. But for safety reasons I wouldn't carry alcohol.

How are British laws any more legitimate?


We have a Royal family who oppressed the poor of this country to get where they are before massacring, raping and robbing 1/4 of the world, we have an unelected house of lords passing laws and a electoral system which allows parliamentary majorities to be formed with only a minority of the votes.


I think these Saudi laws I stupid, I think this is a pretty well country overall but I don't think your argument really holds up to much

Did I say I agreed with what's happening to this guy? No I didn't. And did I say I was okay with sharia law? No. I was looking at it from my own viewpoint. I personally would not carry alcohol there. Simple as. Simply because I know I could get harmed or worse killed. I don't support brutal punishment of people because they choose to be gay or in this case carrying alcohol. Live and let live. But this is Saudia Arabia and we all know how strict it is

A valid argument if the law was followed by anyone. There was a story of a alcohol smuggler being arrested. His biggest client had been the Saudi Prince in charge of alcohol enforcement. The majority of the elites drink alcohol and brazenly break the laws over there. The whole system is a corrupt cesspit.

Oh rite, yeah it's openly available at least 2-3 hotels there for sure. They even had it on the menu "alcoholic cocktails at 5-7" lol. But it was for guests only, so not openly available. But there was a shop selling alcohol across the road (Russian girl was saying dno if true or not).

I can't blame Dubai for allowing alcohol otherwise tourists won't come. My uncle got a small flat which he was over the moon about at the time, he hasn't been since lol. Might go again for my Birthday!

Oh I entirely agree, I am opposed to the monarchy, house of Lords and first past the post. It has some more legitimacy because it's not completely undemocratic, but on the whole I believe everyone should live and let live and that attempts to control other people's personal decisions are immoral, not resistance to such control.