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.
Credit:king
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the comment writers alone and does not reflect or represent the views of Stephen Chuka