People who torture and maim animals should be named and shamed in addition to other legal sanctions, the Shoura Council said in a closed session on Tuesday.

 

The council noted that some people would not only torture animals but film their actions and upload the clips on social media for others to watch. The council, meeting under its deputy speaker Mohammed Bin Amin Al-Jiffry, listened to two separate reports presented by its committee on water, agriculture and environment.

 

The committee’s chairman Ali Al-Tkhais delivered the two reports. He asked the council to approve adding the power to name and shame to the list of penalties included in the law of wildlife protection.

 

He said naming animal torturers would act as an effective deterrent. Tkhais said if the criminals were not severely punished and named, their peers might believe such actions are permissible under the law.

 

The Shoura Council took up the matter after several video clips showing cruelty to animals went viral on the Internet, creating outrage in society.

 

A number of lawyers called for the incident to be investigated and for the culprits to be found and charged with endangering wildlife in the Kingdom and said the act was against the teachings of Islam.

 

They also said the act was a violation of the country’s laws and regulations and also urged asked the Saudi Wildlife Authority to develop tough laws against animal cruelty.

 

 

PHOTO: A horse rears as a group of Saudi teachers and schoolchildren make their way to a rally to celebrate completing their first semester in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

CREDIT: Reuters/File photo.