Amnesty International called for the release of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi

06 March, 2022 15:19

The 38-year-old, who was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and a decade in prison, was “arbitrarily detained solely for freely expressing his opinions”, a statement said on Friday. He completed his “unjust” 10-year jail term this week.

“Raif Badawi has spent a decade behind bars solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa regional director. “The Saudi Arabian authorities must ensure his immediate and unconditional release and lift the unlawful travel ban imposed on him so he can finally reunite with his family.”