Protest Saudi Brutality Today!

If you are free and in central London over lunch today, why not join us at a protest outside the Saudi Arabian embassy?

The protest is organised by the NUS LGBT group with support from OutRage! and others.

Here's the press release:

Gay men sentenced to 7,000 lashes

Protest against potential death sentences

Friday 19 October, 1:30pm - 2.30pm
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
30 Charles Street, London W1J 5DZ

On the 2 October 2007 two young men in the Saudi Arabian city of Al-Bahah were reportedly convicted of 'sodomy' and sentenced to 7,000 lashes. In Saudi Arabia same-sex relations are illegal and the maximum penalty is death.

7,000 lashes can be fatal, depending on how many lashes are delivered at any one time.

To protest against the persecution of queers in Saudi Arabia , the National Union of Students LGBT campaign is organising a protest outside the Saudi Embassy in London this Friday. The protest is supported by LGBT human rights group OutRage! Peter Tatchell is a guest speaker.

The protest comes ahead of the State Visit to the UK of the bloodthirsty Saudi tyrant, King Abdullah bin Abdul Azaz al Saud, on 30 October 2007

Mr Tatchell said: "The British and US governments support the despotic, corrupt Saudi regime. As well as flogging and executing gay people, the Saudi leaders are guilty of detention without trial, torture and the public beheading women who have sex outside of marriage. Migrant workers are de facto slaves. The media is heavily censored. Trade unions, political parties and non-Muslim religions are banned. The country is a theocratic police state," he said.

"We call on individuals and groups, LGBT or otherwise, to protest against the continued criminalisation, imprisonment, torture and murder of LGBT people in Saudi Arabia," said Scott Cuthbertson, NUS LGBT Officer.

"We will be handing a letter of protest to the Saudi Ambassador, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf, calling on his Government to respect the human rights of its own LGBT citizens. Please join us in the struggle for Love without Borders - LGBT rights around the world - and make your views known to the Saudi Ambassador on Friday."

"This year NUS LGBT Campaign is campaigning for 'Love without Borders'", added Claire Anderson, another NUS LGBT Officer.

"Around the world, LGBT people are persecuted, imprisoned and even murdered in state-sponsored homophobia. We live in a global community and no longer can we stand by while LGBT people are persecuted. Now is the time to use our freedom to fight for the rights of others across the globe. When abuses of human rights take place we must not be silent."