Saudi blogger Badawi avoids flogging for a fifth successive Friday

Saudi Arabian blogger Raef Badawi avoided further flogging on Friday, Amnesty International said, marking the fifth straight week that his 1,000-lash sentence has not been carried out. The case of Badawi, 31, has sparked worldwide outrage and criticism from the United Nations, United States, the European Union, Canada and others. Badawi received the first 50 lashes of his sentence outside a mosque in the Red Sea city of Jeddah on January 9.

Raef was not flogged again today. We’re not sure why but he remains in prison.

Amnesty International statement

The following two weekly rounds of punishment were postponed on medical grounds. There has been no reason for more recent delays but the case has focused attention on the kingdom’s human rights record. Badawi’s wife, Ensaf Haidar, has sought asylum in Canada with their three children. Badawi co-founded with Suad al-Shammari the Saudi Liberal Network Internet discussion group. Badawi was initially sentenced to seven years in jail and 600 lashes for insulting Islam and setting up the liberal network. An appeals court overturned the verdict and sent his case back for retrial where the sentence was raised to 10 years and 1,000 lashes.

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