US astonished by Saudi sentence of jail, beating for victim of gang rape
The United States said Tuesday it has expressed astonishment to Saudi Arabia's government about a court sentence of six months in jail and 200 lashes for a woman who was gang raped.
US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack stopped short of stronger language against its close ally in the Middle East. ''I think when you look at the crime and the fact that now the victim is punished, I think that causes a fair degree of surprise and astonishment,'' McCormack said. ''But it is within the power of the Saudi government to take a look at the verdict and change it.'' On Monday, Canada said it would lodge a complaint and called the sentence barbaric. (AP)
