The judge who sentenced two young Saudis in Bisha to three years in prison and 2,000 lashes each for stealing two sheep said Tuesday that his verdict was fair, and not moody. “I swear to God, these two young men are like my sons and the court is a place of mercy and discipline,” he said. These types of criminal activities have increased of late in the region and this is the right ruling, he said. There are strict instructions from the Ministry of Interior to hand down harsh punishment on thieves in an attempt to curb crimes, he said.
