CAIRO: Demonstrators in Cairo demanded that Saudi Arabia release an Egyptian doctor sentenced to prison and ordered to receive 1,500 lashes for malpractice. Family members, friends and colleagues gathered Tuesday at the Doctors' Syndicate building to urge King Abdullah to pardon Raouf Amin. On Sunday Naguib Gobraiel, president of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organization (EUHRO) presented a petition urging President Hosni Mubarak to intercede in Amin's case. Amin was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 1,500 lashes (70 lashes per week) in Saudi Arabia. He was found guilty of driving a Saudi princess to addiction when he worked as the family's personal doctor in Jeddah. He was originally sentenced to seven years in prison and 750 lashes in late 2007. When the 53-year-old Amin appealed the verdict seven months ago, the sentence was doubled. The verdict now in the execution phase and according to the petition, Doctor Amin, 53, collapsed while receiving the latest 70 lashes. The Petition stated that EUHRO previously sent letters to the Egyptian foreign ministry asking them to intervene in the case and Saudi King Abdullah to reconsider the "harsh ruling. According to Ahmed, Amin's son, the woman in question was recovering from a back injury when the doctor started treating her. "She was already addicted to painkillers before my father started treating her. Ahmed told Daily News Egypt in a previous interview. "My father didn't even bring them the medicine; they already had it [at her house]. The doctor was arrested while applying for an exit visa at customs where he was told that he is a "wanted man . "This was a forgotten and neglected case for over 23 month. Where were the Egyptian authorities all that time? Gobraiel told Daily News Egypt. According to Gobrael there is hope for the doctor as "inside sources told EUHRO that the Saudi royal court is investigating the case. Foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Ghiet assigned Ambassador Ahmed Rizk from the Egyptian foreign ministry, to follow up on the case. Meanwhile, according to comments on the Al Watan Saudi newspaper's website, Saudi citizens "are upset on how the Egyptian media has highlighted the case and urged the Saudi authorities to "ignore the pleadings. -Additional reporting by AP.
