A Jeddah court on July 29, 2013, convicted a liberal activist of violating Saudi Arabia’s anti-cybercrime law and sentenced him to 600 lashes and seven years in prison. The Criminal Court found Raif Badawi, the founder of the Free Saudi Liberals website, guilty of insulting Islam through his website and in comments he made on television, and added three months to his term for “parental disobedience.”
The charges against Badawi were based solely on his peaceful exercise of his right to free expression, Human Rights Watch said. Badawi established his online platform in 2008, to encourage debate on religious and political matters in Saudi Arabia. He has been detained in Jeddah’s Buraiman prison since his arrest on June 17, 2012. Criminal Court Judge Faris al-Harbi dropped a charge of apostasy, which carries the death penalty, after Badawi assured the court on July 24 that he is a Muslim.
“This incredibly harsh sentence for a peaceful blogger makes a mockery of Saudi Arabia’s claims that it supports reform and religious dialogue,” said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “A man who wanted to discuss religion has already been locked up for a year and now faces 600 lashes and seven years in prison.”
Badawi’s lawyer, Waleed Abu al-Khair, told Human Rights Watch that Judge al-Harbi read the verdict aloud during a trial session on July 29, and that the court will send Abu al-Khair a written notification by August 6, and give him 30 days to appeal.
Abu al-Khair said that the judge sentenced Badawi to five years in prison for insulting Islam and violating provisions of Saudi Arabia’s 2007 anti-cybercrime law through his liberal website, affirming that liberalism is akin to unbelief. The judge ordered the closure of the website and added two years to Badawi’s sentence for insulting both Islam and Saudi Arabia’s Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, or religious police, in comments during television interviews.
Link news
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/07/30/saudi-arabia-600-lashes-7-years-activist
Link Petitions
- http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/immediate-release-of-saudi-blogger-raef-badawi.html
- http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/free-raif-badawi-saudi-blogger-sentenced-to-seven-years-600-lashes.html
- http://www.change.org/petitions/free-and-safeguard-raif-badawy-a-liberal-saudi-accused-of-apostasy
- http://www.change.org/de/Petitionen/save-saudi-arabia-raif-badawi-live-save-his-life-let-him-free-send-him-out-of-saudi-arabia?share_id=tWPJzBtoed&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition
LETTER
Object: Immediate release of blogger Raef Badawi
Your Majesty,
I would like to take the opportunity to call your attention to the case of blogger Raef Badawi.
A Jeddah court ,on July 29 2013, convicted blogger Raef Badawi of violating Saudi Arabia’s anti-cybercrime. The blogger was sentenced to 600 lashes and seven years in prison. The Criminal Court found Raif Badawi, the founder of the Free Saudi Liberals website, guilty of insulting Islam through his website and in comments he made on television, and added three months to his term for “parental disobedience.”
Criminal Court Judge Faris al-Harbi dropped a charge of apostasy, which carries the death penalty. He has been detained in Jeddah’s Buraiman prison since his arrest on June 17, 2012.
The freedom of speech is a right. No citizen of Saudi Arabia should be arrested and sentenced for having expressed its opinion.
I ask the immediate release of blogger Raef Badawi.
In awaiting your reply, be assured of my most respectful sentiments
Yours sincerely,
(your name)
Address:
King
His Majesty King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Salutation: Your Majesty,
The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques
Office of His Majesty the King
Royal Court, Riyadh
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Crown Prince and Minister of Defence & Aviation
His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin
Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Salutation: Your Excellency,
Ministry of Defence and Aviation,
Airport Road
Riyadh 11165
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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