Raif Badawi

Raif Badawi: Amnesty International, joined by members of the Parti Quebecois and Quebec Solidaire, voiced their support on Tuesday in a vigil for Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. Badawi has been imprisoned since June 17, 2012 for insulting Islam, by asking for more freedom in the Saudi Arabian kingdom. For this, he was sentenced to ten years in prison and 1,000 lashes 50 per week for 20 weeks. He received his first 50 lashes in a public square in Saudi Arabia Friday. The human rights treatment in Saudi Arabia is appalling. In terms of torture beheading and death penalty, freedom of expression, freedom of association, said Beatrice Vaugrante, director general of Amnesty International Canada francophone wing. Badawi wife, Ensaf Haidar, and their three children came to Canada in 2013; they were granted asylum after facing persecution in the Arab world. They now live in Sherbrooke, and hope for Bawadi to join them. The family is here in Canada as refugees. We say we stand up for human rights, so that is a good opportunity to do it, said NDP MP Helene Laverdiere, according to CTV. It time to turn words into actions. The federal government must intervene immediately towards its Saudi counterparts and demand the immediate liberation of Raif Badawi so he can join his family in Sherbrooke, said Khadir and Days before a Saudi Arabian blogger is scheduled to be flogged in public for the second time, supporters in Quebec are calling for him to be freed. Quebec Solidaire MNA Amir Khadir says that every minute counts for Badawi, and urged governments to help liberate the blogger. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.