Middle East News
Saudi court clears two anti-vice policemen of murdering suspect
Nov 29, 2007, 12:55 GMT
Riyadh - A Saudi court has cleared two anti-vice policemen who were charged with killing a man while attempting to capture him in May, media reports said Thursday.
The case has been thrown out and the two policemen are not to be prosecuted, the judge said.
According to the judge, the investigation revealed the victim was killed after the policemen kicked him in the head. The fact that no instrument was used to beat the victim, the judge said, proved the lack of deliberate intent.
The victim was charged with selling alcoholic beverages, which are banned in Saudi Arabia. The man's family, however, will appeal the verdict, according to their lawyer.
Saudi Arabia had earlier pledged to reduce the power of the anti- vice police, a religious force enforcing Islamic Sharia law and arresting those violating it, such as women not wearing the veil or traffickers of alcohol.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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