Saudi diplomat in LA seeking Asylum
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39118941/
A ranking Saudi diplomat told NBC News that he has asked for political asylum in the United States, saying he fears for his life if he is forced to return to his native country.
The diplomat, Ali Ahmad Asseri, the first secretary of the Saudi consulate in Los Angeles, has informed U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials that Saudi officials have refused to renew his diplomatic passport and effectively terminated his job after discovering he was gay and was close friends with a Jewish woman.
In a recent letter that he posted on a Saudi website, Asseri angrily criticized his country’s “backwardness” as well as the role of “militant imams” in Saudi society who have “defaced the tolerance of Islam.” Perhaps most provocatively of all, he has threatened to expose what he describes as politically embarrassing information about members of the Saudi royal family living in luxury in the U.S.
If he is forced to go back to Saudi Arabia — as Saudi officials are demanding — Asseri says he could face political persecution and even death.
“My life is in a great danger here and if I go back to Saudi Arabia, they will kill me openly in broad daylight,” Asseri said Saturday in an email to NBC.
Lol!
Flor, it is not "rewarded". Why would homosexuality warrant a reward?
Homosexuals can simply get married , in some places,if they wish to do so.
are rewarded with marriage! Quite the opposite! And they are proud of it!
is stoning to death (for a quick overview see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Saudi_Arabia). And it has been carried out before, although many times a lesser punishment is levied.
If you are interested in the intricacies of sharia on homosexuality you can read this:
http://www.religionfacts.com/homosexuality/islam.htm
"Same-sex intercourse carries the death penalty in five officially Muslim nations: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Mauritania, Sudan, and Yemen."
as per sharia, if the punishment for practising astrology is death, i am not surprised that homosexuality would be treated in the same way...however, this is just a guess as i dont know much about sharia.
fathima is right...you need to have four witnesses to prove it in court which is highly improbable. there could be some other serious charges which could send him to the gallows and thats the reason he might have taken such a risk to go against the state openly.
I think the story lack some senses! Being a Saudi citizen 1st of all and then a diplomat he would know better than anybody else that his doings( if done) would be punished and going on talking ill of his country wouldn t make them welcome him home ;)
The question here is - Whether he should be granted assylum or not.
He says that his diplomatic passport has already been revoked, so he is now a civilian....
He should be sent back if KSA is officially asking his return because he is a diplomat sent by KSA to another country (Whether it is USA or Iran, it is irrelevant.)
I've never heard of anyone getting killed in Saudi for being gay..
However, since he's criticized the country openly, it would be impossible for him to go back..
But his story seems very very unbelievable. As a diplomat you'd think he had enough wasta to get out of being prosecuted for simply being gay and friendly with an "ordinary" Jewish lady!are you telling me no Saudi big wigs have Jewish friends? Heck how many regular citizens manage to cover up their "secret lives" well enough? and unless he was out their making out with some guy in front of an audience of at least four adults he could have very well have denied the rumors,right? Seems to me that the guy has much more serious allegations against him,which if proven true, may very well put him at risk of getting the death penalty! Either ways going to wait to hear more about the case before jumping to conclusions.
They will 'love' him to death, back home.
Diplomat gone astray...But on a serious note he wont receive a red carpet welcome back either...Or maybe he fears that since his GAY secret is out his A** is in danger back home now
Their interpretation of sharia specifies the death penalty for homosexuality.
I am sure the Americans will love to open their doors and let him in; or we can always get the DM to sponsor him in exchange for a scoop with all the juicy details ;)
Why would his friendship with a Jewish woman be suspect unless she was Israeli or suspected of being an agent. That's right up there with assuming all muslims are al-qaeda!
I can understand him being ostracised for "coming out", but does anyone really believe that he would face death on his return ?
As far as frienship with a Jewish woman.. As a diplomat, his superiors should be worried and investigate thoroughly... As would any other nation ..
NBC have not mentioned that Asseri's post was published in a popular Saudi Internet forum
He says All he wants is dignity & medical treatment
What really puzzles me why did he decided to come out in an Internet forum and include his contact details http://www.alsaha.com/sahat/4/topics/276965
What if the US doesn't grant him asylum?
of course his life would be in danger...
hehehehe
no comment