Saudi court sentences poet to death

What happens if you write a romantic poem and give it to a foxy young lady in Saudi Arabia? Evidently its a fast pass to a death sentence. Last week a Saudi court slapped the death sentence on Mr. Ashraf Fayadh, a Palestinian whose real crime is falling in love!

While ISIS has been busy handing out crazy sentences issued under Sharia law (like the usual beheadings and floggings), it would appear that the Saudi courts have also been busy publicly flogging a liberal blogger, beheading and then crucifying (uh, overkill anyone?) a political dissident and sentencing a British gentleman to Protected content for possessing beer/wine in his car!

The crimes for which Mr. Fayadh have been sentenced to death like spreading atheism, undermining the morals of young foxy women (a crime of which some men here on the forum may be guilty) and having illicit relations with women (another “crime” of which some if not more men here on the forum may be guilty), would hardly rise to the level of death-sentence severity in most (humane?) legal jurisdictions.

Although we should view a society in terms of its local laws and customs, shouldn’t one of the richest country in the Milky Way galaxy hold itself to some sort of supervening principles like mercy, compassion and not beheading and then crucifying someone?

Shouldn't the Saudi courts try to distinguish themselves from the way ISIS conducts its judicial sentencing?

Otherwise what’s the difference between how “justice” is interpreted by ISIS and a typical Saudi court?

These are legitimate questions since Saudi Arabia had been elected to head a key United Nations Human Rights Council panel that selects top officials who would shape international human rights standards.

As American Express would say, wealth has its privileges!

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New York Times (International Edition) November 24, Protected content , “For his poems, Saudi artist receives a death sentence”