Raif Badawi flogging condemned by City of Montreal
Saudi blogger sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail after criticizing Islam on blog
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre will introduce a motion at city council on Monday that condemns the flogging of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi and asks for him to be sent to Quebec.
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Badawi is currently in jail in Saudi Arabia, serving a 10-year sentence for crimes related to criticizing Islam on an internet blog.
He was also sentenced to receive 1,000 lashes, to be delivered in weekly batches of 50.
He was flogged for the first time on Jan. 9. However, the next six flogging sessions were postponed.
Meanwhile, Badawi's wife Ensaf Haidar and their three children are refugees living in Sherbrooke, Que.
Haidar said she was pleased with the motion and that she would be meeting with Coderre on Monday to discuss how to bring her husband home.
Coderre and Southwest borough mayor Benoit Dorais will sponsor a motion condemning his detention and asking Canada to lobby for Badawi's release.
The motion asks for Canada to do whatever it can to reunite Badawi with his family in Quebec.
It comes after the Feb. 11 motion passed unanimously in Quebec's National Assembly calling on the governments of Quebec and Canada to do everything possible to secure Badawi’s freedom.