Shariah vs. Free-Speech Journalism

A Saudi female journalist was recently sentenced to 60 lashes for conducting an interview on Saudi television where a male guest spoke of his sex life. Anyone living in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, or anyone that knows a bit about Islamic Law knows that this is about as smart as hitting your big toe with a hammer. While most of the world may disagree with the fundamental structure of an Islamic state, is it fair to judge another country's goverment just because our laws differ? Being Saudi citizens, both the journalist and the guest speaker knew the consequences of such an explicit interview. Is it their fault for blatantly taunting their government? Is it the government's for not being as open-minded as we deem ourselves to be? When is it more important to consider the ethics of a country's laws versus the ethics of journalism as a global practice?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/24/saudi.sex.braggart.journalist/index.html