Crucifixion in Saudi Arabia

When I read the headline, I thought this strange for a country with a Muslim population.  The headline was “Saudi court upholds child rapist crucifixion ruling”.

Yes, I know crucifixion was practiced in ancient times, but did not know it was practiced today.  I would not have thought Muslims would even want the reminder of Christianity in their country.

I read the article waiting for a description of how they were going to do this and wondering how the historical significance of crucifixion would be portrayed in a Muslim country.

Reading on further, I found out that the actual execution was the popular beheading with a sword.  Around 40 executions like this have been carried out this year in Saudi Arabia.  A bit Draconian?  Maybe, but it does solve the recidivism we see with child rapists in this country.

The man was convicted of raping five children.  He left one child, a three year old, in the desert to die after he raped him.  A seven year old who was not killed led the authorities to this criminal and he was convicted.

Now why would a court uphold a crucifixion order?  I would have expected a court challenge on the death penalty, but it was not.

After this child-raper is beheaded in public, his body, sans head, will be tied to a cross and displayed in public as a lasting reminder of how pedophiles are dealt with.  The crucifixion is meant to humiliate the criminal and probably his family and relatives.

Do the Muslim culture and/or Islam require families to be humiliated along with the criminal?  Is that why honor killings of teenaged girls are greeted with approval in this culture?

Another question for thought: If an anti-Christian culture can live with public displays of crosses with real bodies, why do anti-Christians in America strive to remove all crosses, even in cemeteries?