Under the “eye for an eye” mindset of Islamic law, a 24-year-old Saudi Arabia man has been sentenced to be permanently paralyzed because he caused paralysis to a friend when he was 14.

Ali Al-Khawahir stabbed his best friend in the back when they were 14 resulting in paralysis. A Saudi court on Sunday ruled that Al-Khawahir is to be permanently paralyzed unless he can pay the victim almost $270,000.

Al-Khawahir has been jailed for the last 10 years because of the incident.

Al-Khawahir’s mother is appealing to philanthropists around the world in an attempt to save her son. She says that she doesn’t disagree that the victim needs compensation but because her family is so poor they cannot pay the fine.