King Salman petitioned by Amnesty to release of Raif Badawi

Speaking to The Independent newspaper in Brussels, where she is lobbying for more action by the EU, Ensaf Haidar said their three young children ask her every day when their father Raif will come home, and she remains hopeful that the family would be reunited soon.

Ensaf said statements from the EU and European governments condemning Mr Badawi’s sentence helped give him hope. “But in terms of the effective impact on the case, nothing has been achieved” she said.

Raif’s wife and international human rights groups continue to petition the royal family for a pardon.