Saudi Man Sentenced To Be 'Fully Paralyzed' For Stabbing His Friend

A Saudi man has been sentenced "to be fully paralyzed" as punishment for stabbing and paralyzing his best friend 10 years ago, The Saudi Gazette reports.

At age 14 Ali Al-Khawahir stabbed his friend in the backbone. The victim has been "completely paralyzed ever since and has not been able to lead a normal life and has been deprived of being a father," according to Ali's mother.

Now Ali must either pay more than $260,000 in compensation — which his family cannot afford — or face being paralyzed.

This type of eye-for-an-eye punishment comes from the code of Hammurabi, a legendary Mesopotamian king who ruled the Babylonian Empire from 1792-1750 B.C.E.

"An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" was one of 282 laws inscribed on a stone pillar.

It's unclear how the punishment would be carried out.