Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court upholds a verdict against a liberal blogger who was flogged in January after being found guilty of insulting Islam and breaking technology laws.
Raif Badawi was sentenced last year to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison. He was banned from traveling abroad for 10 years and fined $266,000.
A person close to the case says the Supreme Court’s decision, announced Sunday, has not made clear whether lashings are part of the final verdict. The person, who spoke anonymously for fear of retribution, says that because Badawi’s flogging has been halted since January, the ruling may exclude public lashings.
Saudi liberal blogger Raif Badawi was sentenced in May to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for criticizing Saudi Arabia’s clerics and ridiculing the country’s morality police on his blog. His family moved to Canada following the sentence for fear of retribution. (Photo credit: Amnesty International Canada/Screenshot from campaign ad)
The Supreme Court’s decision is final and cannot be overturned without a royal pardon.
Badawi’s flogging has been criticized internationally by rights groups and Western governments.
— AP
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