The General Court here on Saturday sentenced a runaway divorced woman to four years in prison after finding her guilty of adultery. The woman, who gave birth to an illegitimate child, did not challenge the verdict and was referred to the Girls' House in Makkah to spend her prison term. Sources said the judge did not apply the death penalty, normal in such Shariah cases, because of special circumstances surrounding the case, although the prosecutor demanded capital punishment as the woman in question had been married. The woman left her parents' house after being divorced and returned five-month pregnant. The woman gave birth during the period of investigation and trial. Legal consultant Dr. Omar Al-Kholi said the judge did not sentence her to death because of the special circumstances of the case. If the woman had not been married, Al-Kholi said, she would have received 100 lashes as well.
