Expat in Saudi Arabia sentenced to jail for threatening to commit suicide

A Saudi court has sentenced a Jordanian expat to a month in jail and 60 lashes because he threatened to commit suicide after a Saudi woman and her family rejected his marriage proposal, Al Anba newspaper reported. 

The sentence came after the woman reported the defendant to police, claiming he sent her family a video of himself trying to end his life. 

According to Al Anba, the man, who was in a relationship with the woman for two years, was left distressed after her family rejected his proposal and tried to change their opinion on the matter by threatening to take the extreme action.

During his court hearing, the man admitted to sending the video, explaining that he felt angry and desperate when the complainant ended her relationship with him. 

Following several hearings in the case, Jeddah's public prosecutor charged the defendant with having an "illegal relationship" with the woman, sending her texts and contacting her over the phone. 

The accused was also charged with 'blackmail', for having sent threatening videos to the Saudi family.

"His crime is that he proposed to her...! Honestly this is such a bizarre trial."

"It's heart-wrenching that they're adding to his torment!!"

"Lashing him is just going to make him more prone to commit suicide"

"They should put the family on trial for rejecting his marriage proposal." 

"60 lashes! For someone who simply asked to legally marry a woman he loves! What is wrong with you!"