Family of Lebanese accused of witchcraft plead for his release

By Malik Muhammad Misbah in Beirut
For Al-Shorfa.com
2010-04-03

[ANWAR AMRO/AFP/Getty Images] Lebanese human rights activists protest outside the Saudi embassy in Beirut on April 1st.

The family of Lebanese citizen Hussein Ali Sibat, convicted of witchcraft in Saudi Arabia in December 2009, continues to plead for his release.

The family's concerns intensified when they found out from unofficial sources that he was scheduled for execution on Friday (April 2nd). On hearing the news, the family contacted Lebanese officials through Sibat's lawyer, May Al-Khansa, to postpone the death sentence.

Their efforts were successful. Al-Khansa told Al-Shorfa that Sibat's execution was halted.

"The only new development is that the Minister of Justice called me and said, 'the death sentence will not be implemented. Be assured and assure his family," she told Al-Shorfa on Friday.

Al-Khansa said that she "received the news through unofficial channels, two days ago, that Sibat was going to be beheaded within 48 hours," adding, "The Lebanese ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Marwan Zein, told us that the embassy has not received any legally valid document and that Sibat's case is still unsettled and his trial has not reached the final stage yet."

Al-Khansa renewed her call for human rights organisations to "save Sibat from execution and release him immediately".

"Ali is not a criminal. He did not commit a crime or do anything disgraceful, and the world should help in rescuing this man," Al-Khansa said.

"Sibat is from the southern Lebanese city of al Ayn and he used to make predictions about the emotional, professional, and social lives of the audience on the Scheherazade satellite TV channel from his home in Beirut. After the channel closed, he worked in the field of medicinal herbs. He was arrested by the Saudi religious police during his pilgrimage to the holy city of Medina in 2008 and disappeared. No information on his whereabouts has been released, until he appeared on the Saudi TV, kneeling and admitting to practicing sorcery," she said.

Al-Khansa added, "The Medina court sentenced him to death on November 9, 2009, with a 30-day period to file an appeal of the sentence. During this period, the high court may affirm the verdict or exonerate the defendant from the charge of witchcraft."

"I appealed to the court of Mecca, which is higher than the court of Medina, and [they] revoked the ruling, and my client was supposed to return to Lebanon. However, the judges of the Medina court were in attendance when the verdict was announced, and they objected to it, demanding to restore the case file. Their request was approved, and my client's fate remained pending."

The Saudi justice system, which is based on Islamic law, does not clearly define the charge of witchcraft. Judges are given wide latitude in defining criminal acts and penalties.

Al-Khansa mentioned that Sibat is poor and could not hire Saudi lawyers who are expensive. "As for us, we can go to Saudi Arabia, but we are not allowed to plead before the Saudi courts," she added.

Sibat's family organised movements in Lebanon and held press conferences where they called on Lebanese officials to intervene with the Saudi authorities to release him. They also called on the Saudi Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah, to pardon him, saying, "He does not deserve execution as this harsh penalty is not commensurate with the crime."

Al-Khansa confirmed that they would continue their efforts during the coming days, "to end this farce."

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