Riyadh (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The pardon issued by King Abdullah to the ‘Qatif Girl,’ the young woman rape victim sentenced to prison and flogging because she was found in car with an unrelated male, ends a legal saga that tarnished the kingdom’s public image around the world. Its political repercussions have not ended though.

Saudi Justice Minister Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Sheik told the al-Jazirah newspaper that the pardon does not mean the king doubted the country's judges, but instead acted in the “interests of the people.”

“The king always looks into alleviating the suffering of the citizens when he becomes sure that these verdicts will leave psychological effects on the convicted people, though he is convinced and sure that the verdicts were fair,” al-Jazirah quoted al-Sheik as saying.

The rape victim was dubbed the ‘Qatif girl’ after her birthplace. She is a 19-year-old Saudi woman who was abducted and raped by a group of six men last year.

A court sentenced her to six months in jail and 90 lashes, increased to 200 in appeal, because she was in a car with a man who was not a relative, something which is illegal under Saudi law.

The six rapists instead got sentences ranging from two to nine years in jail.

In reaction to the international outcry caused by the sentence Saudi Justice minister said the woman was an adulteress and had provoked her rapists’ attack by her “indecent situation,” this according to the rapists themselves.

However, if the royal pardon closes the legal case, it does not settle the issue of the kingdom’s laws and its system of justice.

In its online edition the Arab Herald published today tens of letters in which readers raise just that issue.

King Abdullah, who has a reputation of a very cautious reformer, appears poised to reform the existing justice system.

Arab News also reports reformist voices, publishing comments by a human rights activist, Fawziya Al-Oyoni, and an attorney, Omar Al-Saab.

The activist points out for example that the king’s pardon doesn’t clear the rape victim from being blamed. “A pardon means that she did something wrong and was kindly pardoned later,” he said.

And yet for the attorney the “king’s pardon will send a strong message to judges that they are under surveillance.”