August 4033Drunk Valruzians spark diplomatic crisisEryk Sedzicki and Natalia Lisiewska in happier times, pictured in Bialograd, Valruzia 4 months agoIn a nightmare for diplomats, a young Valruzian couple have been arrested for "drunken, disorderly and immoral behaviour" in the conservative city of Ras El-Haram, and now face the terrifying prospect of experiencing the barbaric justice regularly meted out by Badara's famously brutal justice system.
Eryk Sedzicki, 23, and Natalia Lisiewska, 21, from Valruzia, had visited Badara on a 2 week vacation as guests of Eryk Sedzicki's father, Jaromir Sedzicki, who works as a senior engineer at an oil refinery.
"I explained to them before they came that Badara is a religious Ahmadi country and that they would need to respect the customs here," the father told a press conference yesterday, "and I told them that alcohol is not allowed - but you know what kids are like, they get over-excited and do the wrong things..."
After buying a stash of illegal alcohol, the couple apparently drank alcohol all day, got roaringly drunk and then, in a terrible error of judgement, ventured into the city centre, where their drunken escapades attracted the attentions of shocked local citizens and the police.
Amongst other indiscretions, Eryk is charged with urinating on a floral war memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the war with Cildania 60 years ago, and Natalia is charged with "engaging in indecent and erotic poses and dances" with a stone statue of Badara's legendary former leader, Jalal Al-e-Ahmad.
In the past, President Abdul Wadood Siddiqui has always pressured judges not to serve harsh sentences on foreign citizens, for fear of damaging international relations. However, it is very far from clear that this is going to happen this time, because for months now, public resentment has been swelling against non-Badaran citizens who have received light sentences or even gone unpunished for offences which, if committed by Badarans, would result in stiff retribution. Yesterday, a crowd demonstrated outside the Valruzian Embassy in Dar-es-Salam, chanting such slogans as "Death to drunkards!", "All your women are whores", "Face our justice!" and "Judge Abdou for President!".
Judge Fawwaaz AbdouWhat makes the outlook for the young Valruzian couple more frightening is that the judge who is set to try their case, Fawwaaz Abdou, is one of the most draconian judges on the Badaran judicial circuit, renowned not only for his stern sentences, but also for his short temper, which frequently leads him into furious diatribes against defendants, witnesses and lawyers.
Marjaana Begum, a leading spokeswoman for the Badaran branch of the International Civil Rights Council, has warned:
Looking at how previous cases like this have been handled in Badara, we should not be surprised if the sentences involved lashes - perhaps 5 lashes, maybe 10, I don't know. But with this particular judge - who even the politicians know should have been removed from the bench years ago - anything is possible. There is no telling what he could do. Judge Abdou knows all of this public and international attention is on him, and he is reveling in it.
Also, remember this is Badara, so even a short prison sentence would likely have the most appalling consequences. Over 40% of female inmates are raped by guards, for instance.
I can see only one satisfactory answer to this, and that is for the Justice Ministry to get involved and put a stop to this nonsense, take this case away from Abdou. The politicians must know this is what they should do, but it is not clear whether they have the courage.
Reports are coming in that the Valruzian Ambassador has had an initial meeting with Foreign Minister Jaabir Hussein, and there is speculation that there will soon be communication between the Badaran and Valruzian governments at the highest levels, but nothing has yet been officially confirmed. President Siddiqui and his ministers have so far refused to comment publicly on the matter.