lashings

Saudi Arabia's Justice Minister has defended tough Sharia punishments such as beheading, cutting off hands and lashing, claiming they "cannot be changed" because they are enshrined in Islamic law. "These punishments are based on divine religious texts and we cannot change them," Mohammed Al Eissa said during a recent speech in Washington.

Mohammed Al Eissa said Islamic law had helped to reduce crime in the conservative kingdom. "Capital punishment is carried out in many other countries, including the US, and was not isolated to Islamic states" he said.