Saudi Royal Family uphold Raif Badawi sentence

The sentence of 1000 lashes and ten years in prison given to Raif Badawi has been upheld by the supreme court in Saudi Arabia today. The blogger who started the Saudi Free Liberals Forum has already received 50 lashes, but has been categorised as “too ill” to face any more of his punishment so far. There has been extensive pressure from the international community, who view the punishment as “barbaric and cruel”. Various world leaders and politicians have expressed their dismay over the sentence, with the Guardian newspaper of the UK describing the punishment as “a brutal exercise in public intimidation”.

Badawi argued for secularism and free speech, and although he did not criticise the Royal Family his thoughts were considered heretical here in the KSA. Raif Badawi has a wife and two children, who are currently living in Canada.