A CONTRAST OF

LAWS

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

 Laws of the Middle East vs.
The Code of Hammurabi
The code of Hammurabi (written between
1792-1750) is the best preserved example of an
ancient law code yet found.
Modern Middle East covers multiple
territories and regions. So, there are variations
in law.
1. The crime of robbery
 The Code of
Hammurabi states
that “If anyone is
caught while
committing
robbery he/she
shall be put to
death”
Across the Middle
East amputation is
the common
punishment for
robbery.
2. The crime of adultery
 The code of Hammurabi states “If a man’s wife be
surprised(in flgrante delicto/having sex) with another man,
both shall be tied together and thrown into the water, but if
the husband wishes to pardon the wife, then the king may
also pardon the man, but otherwise, the king has no power
to free them.

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by
 Death by stoning is the popular punishment across the
Middle East for having committed the crime of adultery.

Y
3. The crime of sorcery
Hammurabi’s code states “ If anyone accuses someone else
of sorcery, the accused shall leap into the river, and if
he/she drowns the accuser shall take possession of the
accused’s home and belongings. However, if the accused
reaches the shore unharmed and the river thus proves that
the accused is innocent of all charges, then the accuser
shall be put to death, while the one who leaped into the
river shall take possession of the house and belongings of
the accuser.
The punishment for sorcery in the Middle East(in most
cases) is the decapitation of the accused.
4. The crime of rape
 The Code of Hammurabi states “If a man violates the
wife(betrothed or child-wife) of another man, who is still a
virgin living in her father’s house, and gets caught in the
act, this man shall be put to death, but the wife is
blameless.”
The punishment for rape differs across different regions in
the Middle East. Also, in some areas where the Muslim
religion is dominant, a rapist can escape punishment by
marrying the victim.
5. The crime of incest
According to The Code of Hammurabi “ If a man is found
guilty of incest with his daughter, he shall leave the
city(exiled). And, “ If any one be guilty of incest with his
mother after his father dies, both shall be burned.”
 Due to the sensitive nature of the crime incest cases are
rarely brought to light in the Middle East. But, when they
are, punishments greatly vary.
•

Works citied
H A M M U R A B I ' S C O D E O F L AW S , I W S . C O L L I N . E D U / M B A I L E Y/ H A M M U R A B I ' S L AW S . H T M .

“ C R I M E A N D P U N I S H M E N T: I S L A M I C S TAT E V S S A U D I A R A B I A .” M I D D L E E A S T E Y E ,
W W W. M I D D L E E A S T E Y E . N E T / N E W S / C R I M E - A N D - P U N I S H M E N T - I S L A M I C - S T A T E - V S - S A U D I - A R A B I A - 0 .