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Saudi Arabia Sentences 74-Year-Old British Man to 350 Public Floggings

A child tries to emulate members of a Muslim community as they attend midday prayers at the Grand Mosque of Paris on Thursday. | REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

The children of a British man sentenced to 350 public lashings in Saudi Arabia have called on the British government to intervene regarding their father's strict punishment.

The children of 74-year-old Karl Andree have requested that British Prime Minister David Cameron intervene after Andree was sentenced to 350 lashings in Saudi Arabia after police discovered bottles of homemade wine in his vehicle in 2014.

Andree, who has been living in Saudi Arabia for the past 25 years working in the oil industry, was reportedly arrested after police discovered homemade wine in his car amid strict Islamic law regarding the consumption of alcohol.

Although the 74-year-old served one year in prison for the offense, he is now reportedly being charged with 350 public lashings.

The man's children have argued that their father is in frail health and will not survive the lashings.

"He's done his time now; he should be released. This lashing sentence - we fear, because of his age, he won't survive it," Andree's son, Simon, told BBC radio, recently, adding that his father is "a frail old man [...] enough is enough."

According to The Guardian, the Foreign Office has said it is attempting to help Andree with his situation.

"Our embassy staff are continuing to assist Mr Andree, including regular visits to check on his welfare, and frequent contact with his lawyer and family. Ministers and senior officials have raised Mr Andree's case with the Saudi government and we are actively seeking his release as soon as possible," the statement from the Foreign Office said.