Free Raif Badawi
Written By:
- Date published:
1:00 pm, January 17th, 2015 - 7 comments
Categories: blogs, International -
Tags: amnesty international, free speech, Raif Badawi
Raif Badawi is a Saudi Arabian writer / activist / blogger. In 2008 he “established Liberal Saudi Network, a now-closed online forum that sought to encourage debate on religious and political matters”. You can find out more about his writing here: “a man who risked his freedom to question some of the basic tenets of life in Saudi Arabia – especially the central role of religion”.
Badawi was arrested in 2012 and recently sentenced to 1000 lashes. After the first round of 50 lashes last Friday, the second round has been postponed for medical reasons, and an appeal is before the supreme court.
As Amnesty International states:
Postponement of Raif Badawi flogging on medical grounds exposes shocking brutality of punishment
…
“Not only does this postponement on health grounds expose the utter brutality of this punishment, it underlines its outrageous inhumanity. The notion that Raif Badawi must be allowed to heal so that he can suffer this cruel punishment again and again is macabre and outrageous. Flogging should not be carried out under any circumstances,” said Said Boumedouha, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa Program.“Flogging is prohibited under international law along with other forms of corporal punishment. His flogging appears to have been postponed for now but there is no way of knowing whether Saudi Arabia’s authorities will fully comply with the doctor’s advice. Raif Badawi is still at immediate risk.”
The flogging has prompted an international outcry with supporters from across the world including Amnesty International members rallying to protest against Raif Badawi’s flogging and to campaign for him to be immediately and unconditionally released as he is a prisoner of conscience.
Free Raif Badawi (#FreeRaif). Here are five ways you can help.
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The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...3 days ago
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The silence is deafening on this issue, from all of the world leaders who were calling for freedom of speech in Paris…
The leaders of some of the Gulf States were evident in showing their hypocrisy by attending the ‘free speech’ March in Paris.
Maybe we could have some free speech at last – with no self censoring – about the role of the Saudis in 9/11?
After executing 87 people in 2014, most through decapitation, Saudi Arabia has also just beheaded a Burmese woman in a public execution. Apparently it took three goes to cut her head off.
I didn’t hear western governments complaining about this “barbarity” and suggest we should attack Saudi Arabia. Did you?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-publicly-beheads-woman-in-holy-mecca-as-blogger-set-to-receive-second-lashing-9982134.html
O.I.L.
What does it mean to say flogging is illegal under international law? Would Saudi rulers be arrested if they travel outside their shit kingdom? Tony Abbott breaks international law on refoulement of refugees, O’Bomber breaks international law by murdering civilians. Nothing happens. International law is a sham for the powerful to use against officials from small and weak countries. It’s hardly even worth mentioning that flogging is illegal.
This sort of garbage will only stop in Saudi Arabia when the west stops supporting the royal family. To do that, they’ll have to get over their addiction to petrodollars. Canada is having another fix right now.
Yes – this is an absolutely horrendous happening – and shows up the hypocrisy of all those world leaders who trumpeted “je sui Charlie” and yet do nothing about the atrocities which face journalists in other countries.
There is a petition started by Avaaz which everyone could sign, and ask their friends to sign as well. Here is the link :
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Judge_Adly_Mansour_Head_of_Egypts_High_Constitutional_Court_Free_Photojournalist_Mahmoud_Abou_Zied_Shawkan/?tHroIab
Of course it has nothing to do with the religion of peace