TWO British men have been fined and a Syrian sentenced to the lash after a fight broke out in the Ramada hotel on New Year’s eve. A court heard that all three defendants were drunk at the time of the brawl. One Brit received a three-month suspended sentence and was ordered to pay QR5,000. A second British national was also handed a three-month suspended sentence and a QR3,000 fine. And the Syrian, a Muslim, was sentenced to 40 lashes if he is found medically fit to withstand the punishment. The court was told that the fight broke out in the bar area of the hotel as revellers celebrated the coming New Year. One of the British men confessed that he had attacked the Syrian causing injuries to his right eyebrow. The other Brit pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace. During the trial, the men’s lawyers had argued that the bar was a place to drink, not to pray, and that because of the rowdy environment there had been no public order offence committed. The court ruled otherwise. GT

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