UK Pensioner Karl Andree Faces 360 Lashes Over Saudi Wine

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• published: 13 Oct 2015
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The family of a UK pensioner caught with homemade wine in Saudi Arabia say the punishment of 360 lashes to which he was sentenced would kill him. 74 year old Karl Andree has already spent more than a year in prison since being arrested by Saudi religious police. The Foreign Office said it was "seeking his release as soon as possible". The BBC's Ben Geoghegan reports. Would you like to know more? Briton Karl Andree 'to be released from Saudi prison' (BBC, Oct 28, 2015) http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34658554 UK pensioner Karl Andree faces 360 lashes over Saudi wine (BBC, Oct 13, 2015) http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34513096 "A UK pensioner caught with homemade wine in Saudi Arabia could receive 360 lashes - a punishment his family say would kill him. Karl Andree, 74, has already spent more than a year in prison since being arrested by Saudi religious police. His daughter Kirsten Piroth told BBC News her father - who has suffered from three types of cancer - "would not survive" the punishment lashes. Number 10 said David Cameron is writing to the Saudi government about the case. The prime minister's official spokeswoman said this was a "extremely concerning" case, and the government had already raised the matter with the Saudi government "several times". But she denied there was any connection between Mr Andree's case and the government's cancellation of a £5.9m prisons deal with Saudi Arabia...." UK pulls out of £5.9m Saudi jail deal (BBC, Oct 13, 2015) http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34518706 "The UK government has withdrawn from a controversial £5.9m prisons deal with Saudi Arabia, Downing Street has said. The PM's official spokeswoman said it reflected the government's decision to focus on domestic priorities. The Ministry of Justice had established it could withdraw from the bid process with no financial penalties, she said. It comes as Britain seeks the release of UK pensioner Karl Andree, who is facing 360 lashes after being caught with homemade wine in Saudi Arabia. The 74-year-old, who has lived in the Middle East for 25 years, has already spent more than a year in prison since being arrested by Saudi religious police. Downing Street said Prime Minister David Cameron was personally intervening in the "extremely concerning" case of Mr Andree, by writing to the Saudi government. But Number 10 stressed this was a separate issue from the prisons deal, which was to provide a "training needs analysis" for Saudi prison service staff. Justice Secretary Michael Gove insisted Britain would maintain its relationship with Saudi Arabia. Answering an urgent question in the Commons, Mr Gove said: "There is security co-operation between Britain and Saudi Arabia that has, as the prime minister and others have pointed out, saved British lives in the past. "And while we would never compromise on our commitment to human rights we must also recognise that it's in the interests of the most important human right of all, the right to live in safety and security, that we should continue with necessary security co-operation with the Saudi government and with other governments."..." Focus On Greater Arabia https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpIHPQmTrX-IQKUSdgOpQRVFS4MkkW6S7 Welcome To Londonistan https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpIHPQmTrX-Lidjf0YKLQq2tztyx0YI3-