Although the pardoning of the raped girl by Saudi Arabia’s King was widely regarded as a response to the increasing external pressure, a Saudi human rights activist said this was actually not the case.

Muflih al- Qahtani, spokesman for Saudi Arabia's National Society for Human Rights told Deutsche Presse-Agentur that the main factor, if not the only one, which determined King Abdullah to pardon the 19-year-old is linked with the holiday which the Muslims are celebrating this month. The annual haj pilgrimage has started today in Mecca and during this period every Muslim must be merciful among other requirements.

"The king's decision was not responding to influences from abroad, but his decision is simply addressing a public interest," Muflih al- Qahtani said.

The girl, who was gang raped and then sentenced to 200 lashes and 6 months in prison for being in the presence of a man who was not a relative of her, had requested King Abdullah to pardon her in a formal grievance, which she had lodged with the royal department that looks into public complaints.

Saudi Justice Minister Muhammad Al-Sheikh said that King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz has always looked to ease the sufferings of members of the public when he judged that court rulings would hurt the convicted people psychologically.

The huge criticism that Saudi Arabia constantly receives from international human rights groups is seen as uncalled by some local activists, who believe that the eventual changes have to be gradual and also have to come from within the deeply conservative country. Saudi Arabia follows a very harsh version of Islam known as Wahabism

"There has been a big improvement in the condition of human rights in the kingdom in recent years, though individual mistakes happen," said Al-Qahtani about the legal reforms announced by the king.

The Rape Case

The rape of the Saudi girl and how it was handled by the local authorities has sparked outrage on an international scale.

The Shi'ite girl was sentenced in late November after she was accused of being in public with a man not related to her. The girl and her accompanying person were spotted by several men who kidnapped and raped both of them.

The girl’s original sentence was increased with 90 lashes because she had spoken to the media. According to the country’s Justice Ministry, the 19-year-old had confessed to having an extramarital affair last year, thus breaking the Islamic sharia law which says that women are forbidden to appear in public in the company of men other than their male relatives.

The rappers - seven men – were convicted of raping the woman and her male companion and received sentences from two to nine years in jail.

The incident occurred in the city of Qatif in March 2006. Then the woman was 18 and engaged to be married.