Saudi
Arabia on Friday publicly flogged a blogger sentenced by a Saudi Court to 1,000
lashes for “insulting Islam”. A Saudi
court in September had upheld a sentence of 10 years in prison as well as the
flogging for Raef Badawi, who has been behind bars since June 2012. In July
2013, the lower court initially sentenced Badawi to more than seven years in
jail and 600 lashes, but an appeals court overturned the ruling, sending the
case back for retrial when he received a harsher sentence.
Raef Badawi |
The 30-year-old received a first instalment of 50 lashes on Friday and is
expected to have 20 weekly whipping sessions until his punishment is complete.
The United States, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders have all denounced the flogging as a horrific form of punishment, saying Badawi was exercising his right to freedom of expression.’
The United States, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders have all denounced the flogging as a horrific form of punishment, saying Badawi was exercising his right to freedom of expression.’
Badawi
was flogged after the weekly Friday prayers near Al-Jafali mosque in the Red
Sea city of Jeddah as a crowd of worshippers looked on.
Badawi
is the co-founder of the now-banned Saudi Liberal Network along with women's
rights campaigner Suad al-Shammari, who was also accused of insulting Islam and
arrested last October.
Shammari
has said that the charges against Badawi were levelled after the Saudi Liberal
Network criticised clerics and the kingdom's notorious religious police, who
have been accused of a heavy-handed enforcement of sharia law.
He was driven to the site in a police car, and taken out of the vehicle as a government employee read out the charges against him to the crowd.
The blogger was made to stand with his back to onlookers as another man began flogging him, witnesses said, adding that Badawi did not make any sound or cry in pain.
He was driven to the site in a police car, and taken out of the vehicle as a government employee read out the charges against him to the crowd.
The blogger was made to stand with his back to onlookers as another man began flogging him, witnesses said, adding that Badawi did not make any sound or cry in pain.
People
who had emerged from noon prayers watched in silence and were ordered by
security forces not to take any pictures on their mobile phones.
London-based Amnesty International, citing witnesses, said the whole ordeal "lasted around 15 minutes" and that Badawi was shackled.
London-based Amnesty International, citing witnesses, said the whole ordeal "lasted around 15 minutes" and that Badawi was shackled.
"The flogging of
Raef Badawi is a vicious act of cruelty which is prohibited under international
law," said Amnesty's Said Boumedouha,
describing the blogger as a "prisoner
of conscience".
"By ignoring
international calls to cancel the flogging Saudi Arabia's authorities have
demonstrated an abhorrent disregard for the most basic human rights principles."
Amnesty,
echoing other rights groups, said Badawi's "only 'crime' was to exercise
his right to freedom of expression by setting up a website for public
discussion," and demanded his unconditional release.
The
United States has urged its ally Saudi Arabia to cancel the "brutal"
lashing of Badawi.
"We are greatly concerned about
reports that human rights activist Raef Badawi will start facing the inhumane punishment
of 1,000 lashes in addition to serving a 10-year sentence in prison for
exercising his rights to freedom of expression and religion,"
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Thursday.
Media
watchdog Reporters Without Borders said the punishment was "barbaric"
and noted it came after Saudi Arabia condemned the assault on French magazine
Charlie Hebdo that left 12 people dead.
It
said Badawi, who was also ordered to pay a fine of one million riyals
($267,000, 192,00 euros), had "just used his freedom of expression and
information."
Amnesty said flogging is prohibited under international law while Reporters Without Borders slammed "Saudi Arabia's Friday of shame".
Amnesty said flogging is prohibited under international law while Reporters Without Borders slammed "Saudi Arabia's Friday of shame".
Ahh such saddening and provoking news :( This will not suppress the voice of dissent!
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