Saudi Arabia and Amnesty International

Amnesty International: Amnesty International gave an update on Raif Badawi punishment, which was due to be executed on Friday. They explained that Badawi was examined by a doctor and his health did not permit for the 50 lashings. 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. 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, according to CTV. The silence of the Harper government is appalling, said protester Robert McBride to on Tuesday. It egregious and it just makes me terribly sad. Amnesty International produced a video posted to YouTube in which Badawi son, Doudi, reads a letter he wrote to his dad and An imprisoned blogger sentence in Saudi Arabia of 50 lashings has been suspended for medical reasons. Support is growing locally and worldwide for Badawi. About 100 protesters gathered outside the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada at Complexe Guy Favreau Tuesday, asking all of Canada to stand for him too. Another vigil is planned for Friday at noon in front of the Parliament building in Quebec city. Canada foreign affairs office issued a statement last week condemning the imprisonment and flogging of Badawi, but have not said much more than that. For those at the vigil Tuesday, that response was not good enough. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.