A Saudi Arabian court sentenced website editor Raef Badawi to 10 years in  prison, 1,000 lashes and a fine of 1 million Saudi riyals (approx. US$266,631) on charges of “insulting Islam” and “founding a liberal website” by Jeddah’s Criminal Court on 7 May 2014. According to PEN’s information, Badawi has subsequently been handed down two additional penalties: a 10-year travel ban and 10-year media participation ban, which will take effect upon his release. Raef Badawi’s lawyer, Walid Abu al-Khair, who has written many articles, has since been arrested in a separate case. PEN International calls for Badawi’s conviction to be quashed and for the immediate and unconditional release of both men 

Please send appeals:

• Condemning the Jeddah Criminal Court’s sentencing of editor Raef Badawi’s to 10 years in prison, 1,000 lashes and a fine of 1 million Saudi riyals (approx. US$266,631), 10-year travel ban and 10-year media participation ban on charges of “insulting Islam” and “founding a liberal website” on 7 May 2014;
• Calling for the Saudi Arabian authorities to overturn Raef Badawi’s sentence;
• Urging them to release Raef Badawi and Walid Abu al-Khair immediately and unconditionally as they are being held solely for their peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression, in violation of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
• In the meantime, calling for both men to be granted all necessary medical treatment and access to their families and lawyers of their choice.

Appeals to be sent to:

Please copy appeals to the diplomatic representative for Saudi Arabia in your country if possible.

***Please send appeals immediately. Check with PEN International if sending appeals after 3 July 2014. Please send us copies of any appeals you send and of any responses you receive***

Background

Raef Badawi was arrested on 17 June 2012 in Jeddah after organising a conference to mark a “day of liberalism”. The conference, which was to have taken place in Jeddah on 7 May, was banned by the authorities. On 29 July 2013, a court in Jeddah sentenced Badawi to seven years and three months in prison and 600 lashes after he was convicted under the information technology law of “founding a liberal website,” “adopting liberal thought” and for “insulting Islam”. The online forum, Liberal Saudi Network – created to foster political and social debate in Saudi Arabia – was ordered closed by the judge.

According to reports, the appeal, submitted by Badawi’s lawyer, Walid Abu al-Khair, cited procedural and evidential reasons why the conviction should be overturned and Badawi should be freed. In December 2013, it was reported that the Court of Appeal had reversed the ruling of the District Court in Jeddah, ordering that Badawi’s case be sent for review by another court. Badawi, who suffers from diabetes, is reported to be in poor health.

On 7 May 2014, Jeddah’s Criminal Court sentenced Badawi to 10 years in prison, 1,000 lashes and a fine of 1 million Saudi riyals (approx. US$266,631) on charges of ‘insulting Islam’ and ‘founding a liberal website.’ According to PEN’s information, when Badawi appeared in court to collect a written account of the verdict on 28 May 2014 he discovered the insertion of two additional penalties: a 10-year travel ban and 10-year ban from participating in visual, electronic and written media, both to be applied following his release. For more information about his case, please read PEN’s interview with his wife Ensaf Haidar here.

PEN International is also concerned by reports of the arrest of Badawi’s lawyer, Waleed Abu Al-Khair, on 15 April 2014. Waleed Abu Al-Khair is a lawyer and human rights activist who has written many articles. According to PEN’s information, Abu Al-Khair was arrested at the Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh while he attended the fifth session of his trial. Initially held in Al Hair prison, where there were concerns that he may have been subjected to ill-treatment, he was transferred on 27 May 2014 to Briman prison in Jeddah. On 4 February 2014, the Court of Appeal confirmed a three-month sentence of Abu Al-Khair imposed after he had been convicted of contempt of the judiciary. Abu Al-Khair is also reported to be standing trial for other chargesmade against him in 2013, which include: “breaking allegiance to and disobeying the ruler and disrespecting the authorities”, “offending the judiciary”, “inciting international organisations against the Kingdom” and “founding an unlicensed organization” (Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia), and supervising it and contributing to the establishment of another (the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association – ACPRA); and “preparing, storing and sending material harmful to public order”. According to the Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, “these charges have already been considered by the criminal court in Jeddah, which sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment.” Abu Al-Khair is the recipient of the 2012 Olof Palme Prize. His eighth trial session is due to be held on 26 June 2014.

Under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”. Criminalisation of the peaceful criticism of public officials and institutions violates international human rights law. Corporal punishment such as flogging also violates the absolute prohibition under international law of all forms of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.