A 27-year-old Saudi man from Jeddah has been sentenced to 1,000 lashes, a year in jail and a fine of 5,000 riyals ($1,330) after appearing in an amateur gay video (above).

The film, which lasts 2 minutes and 46 seconds, shows him dressed in a police uniform asking to inspect someone's driving licence and then flirtatiously demanding "physical comfort" after saying the licence is expired. He later opens his shirt and rubs his chest, removes his cap flaunting his long hair and waves a gun suggestively. That's as far as it goes.

Arab News says: "The video quickly spread online and through SMS ... Attempts have been made to block the video from being viewed in Saudi Arabia."

The man has not been officially named but he is named on the internet as Ahmad al-Faqih. He was arrested in January and reportedly tried in a closed court. He was charged with impersonating a police officer, committing a “general security” offence and being homosexual.

The man who filmed the video was also arrested but his fate has not been reported.

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 11 March 2010