Karl Andree sentenced to 12 in months jail for making wine
Karl Andree, 74, was sentenced to 12 months in jail by a Sharia court after police found home-made wine in the boot of his car in Jeddah last year.
Alcohol is banned under Islamic law in Saudi Arabia where Mr Andree has lived for the past 25 years.
Mr Andree has now served his sentence but has been held in jail for a further two months - and now faces a public flogging.
But his children Hugh, 46, Kirsten, 45, and Simon, 33, fear the grandfather-of-seven will not survive the punishment as he suffers from asthma and is frail after surviving cancer three times.
The oil executive's youngest son Simon told Sky News his father is being held in a windowless room.
"He's an old, frail man," he said.
"The lashings will kill him. He will keel over and have a heart attack.
"We want him home and the Government needs to intervene.
Mr Andree's daughter Kirsten told Sky News the family feels helpless and the plea is "our last resort".
She said: "He's holding up reasonably well considering, but to be honest, at 74 - he's survived cancer three times, he's got asthma - he's not a well man.
"I'm amazed he's done this well and made it this far. Every day I just feel like he needs to get out of there now."
The Foreign Office confirmed it has raised Mr Andree's case with the Saudis.
"Our embassy staff are continuing to assist Mr Andree, including regular visits to check on his welfare, and frequent contact with his lawyer and family," a spokesman told Sky News.
"Ministers and senior officials have raised Mr Andree's case with the Saudi Government and we are actively seeking his release as soon as possible."
Mr Andree is being held in Jeddah's Briman Prison, which has a reputation for torture and overcrowded cells, The Sun reported.
Source: Sky News
No comments:
Post a Comment