Imagine there’s a world where scientists are looking to collide atoms to see how the Big Bang happened. Imagine there’s a world where you can have an iPhone on your watch. Imagine there’s a world where an entire film like Sharknado can exist? Well, that’s the world we live in. That’s 2015. However, in Saudi Arabia, the clock seems to be stuck somewhere way before the dark ages. As well as beheading more people than ISIS over the same timeframe (beheading’s OK if it’s committed by a state instead of a self-appointed state apparently), and thoroughly treating women like second-class citizens (they were only granted the vote this year and that’s for local elections only)… they'll flog you for boozing.
British grandfather Karl Andree, 74, faces 350 lashes to be recieved in public, as punishment for allegedly having home-made alcohol in his car, reports The Guardian. He’s been held in Briman prison in Jeddah, for a year already. He needs treatment for cancer and asthma and his children are worried he just won’t survive the flogging. They’ve called on David Cameron to intervene, pleading: ‘He's 74 years of age, has had cancer three times and his wife is dying in a home in the UK. He now needs medical care for his cancer and asthma, and there is no doubt in our mind that 350 lashes will kill him.'
'We implore David Cameron to personally intervene and help get our father home. The Saudi government will only listen to him.’
As well as releasing a statement to say that, as well as Embassy support, 'Ministers and senior officials have raised Mr Andree’s case with the Saudi government and we are actively seeking his release as soon as possible.'
The Government has now U-turned on a plan to help offer prison training to the Saudis, but David Cameron has historically stuck by the UK’s association with the Saudis because, well, he says they give us information to help our national security defend itself against terrorism.
This isn’t the only high-profile case of the Saudi government’s savagery of late; Ali Mohammed Al Nimr is 17 and faces crucifixion (yep, that ancient method of capital punishment) for taking part in an anti-government protest.
To see what Cameron thinks of that, check out this interview with Channel 4 News’s Jon Snow:
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Pictures: Nur Photo/Rex Features/Shutterstock
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.