Ensaf Haidar's husband, Raif Badawi, is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia. In the foreground on the left, we see Ms. Haidar. She has slightly stringy blond hair, dark eyes and wears large dark glasses and a determined look. Her lips are slightly pursed. Behind her over her left shoulder is a large photo of her husband. He has a dark complexion under black hair and kind, dark eyes.

Ensaf Haidar's husband, Raif Badawi, is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia.
Photo Credit: CP Photo / Paul Chiasson

Trudeau implored to take up Badawi case

The wife of jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi is appealing to Canadian Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau to take up her husband’s cause.

Ensaf Haidar, who has lived in Quebec with the couple’s three children since 2013, says she was told by a source that Saudi authorities plan to resume flogging her jailed husband soon.

She said she would like Canada to send Badawi a passport.

Her appeal came a day before the European Union announced Thursday it was awarding Badawi the prestigious Sakharov Prize for human rights.

The announcement was greeted with a standing ovation at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

In 2013, Badawi was convicted of insulting Islam and breaking Saudi Arabia’s technology laws with his liberal blog and sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes.

He was re-sentenced to 1,000 lashes, ten years in prison and fined nearly $300,000 in 2014.

The first 50 lashes were administered in January. The second set has been postponed more than twelve times.

Trudeau has voiced support for Bawawi in the past, and outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also spoken out against Badawi’s treatment but said the government’s influence was limited.

Trudeau, whose Liberals won a majority government from Harper’s Conservatives on Oct. 19, will be be sworn in as prime minister on Nov. 4.

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