Saudi supreme court upholds verdict against blogger Raif Badawi

Ruling confirms punishment of 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for liberal blogger who was found guilty of insulting Islam

Saudi Arabia’s supreme court has upheld a sentence of 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes against the blogger Raif Badawi on charges of insulting Islam, according to his wife.

The judgment came despite worldwide outrage over his case and criticism from the United Nations, United States, the European Union, Canada and others.

“This is a final decision that is irrevocable,” his wife, Ensaf Haidar, told AFP in a telephone interview from Canada on Sunday. “This decision has shocked me.”

Badawi received the first 50 of the 1,000 lashes he was sentenced to outside a mosque in the Red Sea city of Jeddah on 9 January. Subsequent rounds of punishment were postponed on medical grounds.

Amnesty International slammed the “abhorrent” decision to uphold a “cruel and unjust sentence”, describing it as a “dark day for freedom of expression”.

“Blogging is not a crime and Raif Badawi is being punished merely for daring to exercise his right to freedom of expression,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa director.

Badawi’s wife expressed fear that the implementation of the flogging sentence might resume next week. “I was optimistic that the advent of Ramadan and the arrival of a new king would bring a pardon for the prisoners of conscience, including my husband,” she said.

Badawi co-founded the Saudi Liberal Network internet discussion group. He was arrested in June 2012 under cybercrime provisions, and a judge ordered the website to be shut down after it criticised Saudi Arabia’s notorious religious police.

The co-founder of the site, Souad al-Shammari, was released from prison in February. But Badawi’s lawyer, Walid Abulkhair, who is also a rights activist, is still in jail. Badawi and Abulkhair have been nominated for this year’s Nobel peace prize by a Norwegian member of parliament, Karin Andersen.

His supporters have launched a campaign on Twitter using the hashtag #backlash that has gathered momentum, and posted pictures of people with lashes drawn on their backs with red lipstick.

In early March Saudi Arabia dismissed criticism of its flogging of Badawi and “strongly denounced the media campaign around the case”.

In his first letter from prison, published by the German weekly Der Spiegel in March, Badawi wrote how he “miraculously survived 50 lashes”. Badawi, 31, recalled that he was “surrounded by a cheering crowd who cried incessantly ‘Allahu Akbar’ [God is greatest]” during the whipping.

“All this cruel suffering happened to me because I expressed my opinion,” Badawi wrote.

Badawi’s wife and their three children have received asylum in Quebec, Canada.

Quebec’s immigration minister, Kathleen Weil, said in March that her government would “continue its defence of Mr Badawi”, saying this was a “clear case of human rights violation”.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Canada, Naif Bin Bandar al-Sudairi, complained officially. “The kingdom does not accept any form of interference in its internal affairs and rejects ... the attack on the independence of its justice system,” he wrote in a letter to the Canadian government.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/07/saudi-supreme-court-upholds-raif-badawi-blogger-verdict

Absolutely bloody iniquitous. If anyone feels like joining Amnesty International and writing letters to the Saudi Embassy on their behalf as I do, please do, the Saudi's get away with too much, just because they have money and oil.

barbaric islam

the religion of peace at work...

I'm sure all the worldwide outrage will make a huge difference - not.

The bloke should have moved to another country before he did his blogging.

the lashes will probably kill him and i think he is bad health too a diabetic .

Raggamuffin wrote:I'm sure all the worldwide outrage will make a huge difference - not.

The bloke should have moved to another country before he did his blogging.

it certainly shows the tolerance that islam has..

March, Badawi wrote how he “miraculously survived 50 lashes”. Badawi, 31, recalled that he was “surrounded by a cheering crowd who cried incessantly ‘Allahu Akbar’ [God is greatest]” during the whipping.

“All this cruel suffering happened to me because I expressed my opinion,” Badawi wrote.

sick religion sick followers

Vicar of Dibley wrote:March, Badawi wrote how he “miraculously survived 50 lashes”. Badawi, 31, recalled that he was “surrounded by a cheering crowd who cried incessantly ‘Allahu Akbar’ [God is greatest]” during the whipping.

“All this cruel suffering happened to me because I expressed my opinion,” Badawi wrote.

sick religion sick followers

islam cannot stand criticism, it shows them up for what they really are..

It's weak and this proves it ,weakness creates bullies and that's exactly what islam is about .

Vicar of Dibley wrote:It's weak and this proves it ,weakness creates bullies and that's exactly what islam is about .

exactly right...

I agree, weakness in faith leads to brutality, it was the case with Christianity in the past (and still is with some), and rampant among followers of Islam now- especially in Saudi, where it is also used to exert massive control over the people. The sooner Islam begins to be loose its grip the way Christisnity has the better.

That said, all followers of Islam are not barbaric, some of the nicest people I know are Muslims.

i too have Muslim friends but their religion is of concern to them with all this evil .

Eilzel wrote:I agree, weakness in faith leads to brutality, it was the case with Christianity in the past (and still is with some), and rampant among followers of Islam now- especially in Saudi, where it is also used to exert massive control over the people. The sooner Islam begins to be loose its grip the way Christisnity has the better.

That said, all followers of Islam are not barbaric, some of the nicest people I know are Muslims.

You just can't help dropping in yet another dig about Christianity can you?

I'm surprised the lefties are not trying to tell us this has nothing to do with Islam...

It's a completely ridiculous situation. They flogged him once, and then realised that it actually harmed him. Well duh!

They then decided not to carry on because it harmed him. If they're going to sentence someone to being flogged, why would they care if it harmed them or not?

Raggamuffin wrote:It's a completely ridiculous situation. They flogged him once, and then realised that it actually harmed him. Well duh!

They then decided not to carry on because it harmed him. If they're going to sentence someone to being flogged, why would they care if it harmed them or not?

it is as much about showing others to just obey islam and say nothing or else as about punishment...

it is why islam allows and condones terrorism it keeps their enemies scared to speak against its barbaric habits....

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:I agree, weakness in faith leads to brutality, it was the case with Christianity in the past (and still is with some), and rampant among followers of Islam now- especially in Saudi, where it is also used to exert massive control over the people. The sooner Islam begins to be loose its grip the way Christisnity has the better.

That said, all followers of Islam are not barbaric, some of the nicest people I know are Muslims.

You just can't help dropping in yet another dig about Christianity can you?

The situations are comparable, one is just a few hundred years behind the other. Stop being so frigging sensitive ffs.

Eilzel wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

You just can't help dropping in yet another dig about Christianity can you?

The situations are comparable, one is just a few hundred years behind the other. Stop being so frigging sensitive ffs.

It was just an observation - don't be so sensitive.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

The situations are comparable, one is just a few hundred years behind the other. Stop being so frigging sensitive ffs.

It was just an observation - don't be so sensitive.

Blah blah blah.

he is lucky he just called islam if he said he was gay they would have just hung him, odd how islam punishes,,,

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:he is lucky he just called islam if he said he was gay they would have just hung him, odd how islam punishes,,,

What has being gay got to do with this?

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

The situations are comparable, one is just a few hundred years behind the other. Stop being so frigging sensitive ffs.

It was just an observation - don't be so sensitive.

he can't help it, it's being in touch with his feminine side that does it...

I was just discussing islamic punishment which is what the thread was about...

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

It was just an observation - don't be so sensitive.

he can't help it, it's being in touch with his feminine side that does it...

All women are sensitive now? I'll add sexist to the list of characteristics you posses

real men love how sensitive women are, i can see how it would confuse you though...

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:real men love how sensitive women are, i can see how it would confuse you though...

Can't help but be insulting can you?

Eilzel wrote:

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:real men love how sensitive women are, i can see how it would confuse you though...

Can't help but be insulting can you?

Hahaha...yes. Why did Ann Coulter pop into mind when he said that?

just because you take it as an insult does not mean that was the intention, you really are too sensitive...bless...

Eilzel wrote:

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:he is lucky he just called islam if he said he was gay they would have just hung him, odd how islam punishes,,,

What has being gay got to do with this?

I assume he was thinking of those poor gay men who were chucked off a building.

I don't know what the Saudis think of it though.

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:just because you take it as an insult does not mean that was the intention, you really are too sensitive...bless...

So when you try to imply I'm not a real man (because you are far too much of a cowardly weasel to be direct about it) that isn't intended to be insulting?

Raggamuffin wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

What has being gay got to do with this?

I assume he was thinking of those poor gay men who were chucked off a building.

I don't know what the Saudis think of it though.

exactly the punishment system under islam is nothing short of barbaric and the idiots screaming for their blood is are sick..

Eilzel wrote:

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:just because you take it as an insult does not mean that was the intention, you really are too sensitive...bless...

So when you try to imply I'm not a real man (because you are far too much of a cowardly weasel to be direct about it) that isn't intended to be insulting?

was that my intention, you tell me you seem to know everything....

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

So when you try to imply I'm not a real man (because you are far too much of a cowardly weasel to be direct about it) that isn't intended to be insulting?

was that my intention, you tell me you seem to know everything....

Coward.

Eilzel wrote:

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:

was that my intention, you tell me you seem to know everything....

Coward.

lol, have i ever held back on mentioning your butt plug or lady boy, not usually but hey you know best...

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Coward.

lol, have i ever held back on mentioning your butt plug or lady boy, not usually but hey you know best...

Go rot in whatever pit you were festering in however many months you weren't here, I liked it when we forgot about your meaningless existence, I tried to not be insulting, you obviously are incapable, pillock.

Eilzel wrote:

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:

lol, have i ever held back on mentioning your butt plug or lady boy, not usually but hey you know best...

Go rot in whatever pit you were festering in however many months you weren't here, I liked it when we forgot about your meaningless existence, I tried to not be insulting, you obviously are incapable, pillock.

oh dear, does this mean we cannot be friends anymore...

you cannot handle debate that is because you are a bigot and do not like what yu believe being questioned...

as i said Jog on sonny...

You don't know how to debate, as most here can clearly see, I'm tired of feeding the troll now in any case.

Eilzel wrote:You don't know how to debate, as most here can clearly see, I'm tired of feeding the troll now in any case.

the final words of a defeated person, i'm tired of feeding the troll, which means i feel so stupid now and i just hope i can get out of this with some face left...

again you are showing what a bigot you are, you only think people are trolls because that is easier than accepting that what you think is right is not necessarily true, opposition is part of life, perhaps while you were travelling your imaginary world and tasting its cultures if you had really met some opposition you would have formulated how to debate your side of things.

so please feel free to JOG ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

heavenlyfatheragain wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Coward.

lol, have i ever held back on mentioning your butt plug or lady boy, not usually but hey you know best...

I've only had time to read a few threads the past couple of days but your homophobic comments to Les seem to pop up on most of them.  

Seriously, my Christian family have always taught me that if you have nothing nice to say then perhaps you should say nothing at all.  It's not contributing to the debate, it says nothing about Les, gays, lesbians, transsexuals, lady boys but more about you and your intolerance.

Worst of all you seem to think it's funny.  You are of course entitled to your opinion but the way you seem to use it here to beat people? Is that fun for you?

I think its all calmed down now ftl , today has been okay-ish between lez and my husband