There were conflicting reports yesterday about a royal pardon from King Abdullah II for the Egyptian doctors Raouf el-Orabi and Shawki Abd Rabbo, who were sentenced to imprisonment and lashing in Saudi Arabia. While the Medical Association issued a statement confirming the news of their release, the Egyptian consulate in Jeddah said it did not have information on this issue. “It is better to be patient when it comes to such issues,” said Egyptian Consul Ali el-Ashiri. Ashiri said the Egyptian consulate last week visited the prisoners for the second time and praised the fast response of the Saudi authorities in arranging the visit. He confirmed that the two doctors are treated well and are in constant contact with their families in Egypt. “They recite parts of the Holy Koran, which gives them tranquility,” he said. Ashiri pointed out that the slashing punishment is still suspended and that neither of them was slashed at all as was falsely reported before. He said Dr. Raouf's lawyer is still pursuing a retrial, which may take some time. Finally, he stressed that the Egyptian consulate in Jeddah and the Egyptian embassy in Riyadh are following the issue so as to find a solution to it.
