Going out for a quick drink and a fumble with his girlfriend seemed like a good idea to 25 year old Saeed Ghanbari from Qazvin, Iran. Unfortunately, the 'Religious' police had other ideas and young Saeed was duly lashed 80 times infront of a crowd of more than 1000 men.The event was so popular that barricades and armed guards were required as many tried climbing traffic lights for a better view. Dozens recorded the entertainment on their mobile phones as 2 police officers enthusiastically carried out their religious duties.
A local Imam stated that 'drinking and having sex outside of marriage was a serious crime. Had it been a minor offence such as killing his sister for overcooking the rice then a telling-off would have been sufficient'.
Earlier this year, a man was flogged after a copy of the Bible was found in his car. In another case a woman who had been forced into prostitution as an eight-year-old received 99 lashes for 'acts contrary to chastity'.
One of the county's top religious leaders stated 'The West is always quick to condemn Islam as a barbaric and backward religion. Personally, I don't know what all the fuss is about. Most Muslim men would pay a weeks wages to be held down and whipped by a couple of guys wearing masks...I know I would'.
