year-old man claims that new evidence shows that he was innocent of being in illegal seclusion with a woman in 2004 for which he was sentenced to three months in prison and 60 lashes. The man is currently waiting for a medical report from the Shariah Medical Committee to spare him the penalty; and is also asking authorities to consider the new evidence. Ibrahim Al-Maq'adi has consistently denied that he was in illegal seclusion with the woman and for getting her pregnant. The court had refused to look into Al-Maq'adi's plea despite the fact that the woman later admitted that it was another man who got her pregnant, Al-Maq'adi said. Although the other man was tried and sentenced, the court upheld its verdict against Al-Maq'adi following the woman's testimony that he had been involved with her in a relationship. A court source, however, said that the charges against Al-Maq'adi might be dropped following his plea to the Ministry of Interior to re-investigate the case. Al-Maq'adi said he filed a complaint to Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, who ordered that a committee investigate the case. Acting on the order of the Assistant Minister, the Makkah Police Department filed a report on the matter to the Chief of General Security recommending the case be submitted to the Supreme Judicial Council for consideration. The evidence supports his claim of innocence, the police report said. Sentencing an innocent man would jeopardize his future, the report stated.
