Saudi woman gets 50 lashes for obscene text

A Saudi Arabian woman has been handed a punishment of 50 lashes for sending an obscene text message, it was reported. According to Arabic language Saudi daily Kabar, the woman was given the sentence after being found guilty at a trial held in the holy city of Makkah. The court found that the Saudi national had cursed and made racist remarks to her friend in the message following an argument between the two over how to best spend a weekend evening. The women that received the message went to court and made a formal complaint against her friend and showed the judge the message. Although the accused said she was joking, the court ordered her to be lashed. However, Kabar reported that the court gave the sentenced woman the right to appeal the verdict. Public flogging is a common punishment in the ultra-conservative Gulf kingdom. Just last month, an Arab expatriate living in Saudi Arabia was sentenced to six years in jail and 600 lashes after being convicted of sorcery and fraud, local media reported.