Saudi woman to be lashed for "insulting" man on social media
MANAMA, Saudi Arabia -- A 32-year-old woman in Saudi Arabia was given 70 lashes for allegedly insulting a man on the private messaging service WhatsApp.
The unnamed woman will also be foreced to pay about $5,300 for the offense, which the man in the complaint said damaged his reputation, GulfNews.com, reported, along with other Mideast media.
The case was filed in criminal court in Al Qatif in Eastern Saudi Arabia after the two argued over the app, but the origin of their dispute was unclear.
The woman did admit insulting the man, but also refuted the guilty verdict.
Saudi Arabia's anti-cyber crime law says 'defamation and infliction of damage upon others' using technological devices might have to face imprisonment for up to a year and a fine not exceeding 500,000 Saudi Riyal ($132,966).
The judgement came as another Saudi judge issued a ruling allowing a man to divorce his wife after she made a reference about having to be "patient" with him, also on WhatsApp.
"I pray to be patient enough to put up with you," the message read, along with his initials, according to Al Arabiya.