Supporters of jailed Saudi Arabian blogger Raif Badawi have heard from a “private source” that he will again be subjected to lashings and are demanding he be released.
Badawi was arrested in 2012. He was later found guilty of insulting Islamic values and promoting liberal thought by suggesting online that Saudi Arabia should become more democratic.
Lashings postponed due to ill health
Badawi was sentenced to 10 years, a hefty fine, and 1,000 lashes. The first 50 were administered in January 2015. The others are believed to have been postponed due to his poor health.
Badawi is not a Canadian, but his wife, Ensaf Haidar, and three children were granted political asylum in 2013. They live in Sherbrooke in the province of Quebec. Haidar, has lobbied tirelessly for his release and for doing so, received the Sakharov Prize for human rights.
‘A prisoner of conscience’
Amnesty International has called Badawi a prisoner of conscience. A spokesperson says the organization is trying to verify the information that the lashings will resume.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.