Saudi Arabia has lashed a liberal blogger 50 times in public, despite
widespread international outrage and calls for clemency from human right
groups.
Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch, said on
twitter that blogger and activist, Raif Badawi, was lashed outside a mosque in
the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on Friday.Badawi is due to undergo 50 lashes every week after Friday
prayers, which will continue for 20 weeks until his punishment is complete.Amnesty International says Badawi, who started the “Free
Saudi Liberals” website, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes
on charges related to accusations he insulted Islam on the online forum.He was also ordered by Jeddah’s Criminal Court to pay a fine
of $266,000.“It is horrifying to think that such a vicious and cruel
punishment should be imposed on someone who is guilty of nothing more than
daring to create a public forum for discussion and peacefully exercising the
right to freedom of expression,” Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Middle East and North
Africa Director, said.“Saudi Arabian authorities must immediately halt all plans
to carry out this brutal sentence,” he said.The United States had also appealed to Saudi Arabia to
cancel the sentence.State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said the US was
“greatly concerned.” She called the 1,000 lashes an “inhumane” response to
someone exercising his right to freedom of expression and religion.“The United States government calls on Saudi authorities to
cancel this brutal punishment and to review Badawi’s case and sentence,” Psaki
said.Around 14,000 people have signed an online petition calling
on Saudi’s King Abdullah to pardon Badawi.
Rights groups and activists say his case is part of a wider
clampdown on dissent throughout the kingdom.
This is serious
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