Raif Badawi flogging delayed for 9th week in a row
Amnesty International continues to call for release of Saudi blogger
Raif Badawi, the Saudi blogger jailed for criticizing Islam, has had his weekly lashes delayed for a ninth consecutive week.
Human rights group Amnesty International confirmed the news on Twitter, saying the reasons were unclear for yet another postponement.
.<a href="https://twitter.com/AmnestyOnline">@AmnestyOnline</a> can confirm the flogging of <a href="https://twitter.com/raif_badawi">@raif_badawi</a> was not carried out today- reasons why are unknown&he wasn't examined by a doctor.
—@amnestypress- How a Facebook 'like' could be key to Badawi case
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Badawi was arrested in June 2012 after criticizing the Saudi regime and expressing views critical of Islam on his blog.
He was eventually sentenced in May 2014 to ten years in jail and 1,000 lashes, to be delivered in batches of 50 every week. He was flogged for the first time on Jan. 9.
Badawi's wife, Ensaf Haidar, and their three children are refugees living in Sherbrooke, Que.
Haidar told CBC earlier this month she's heard from official sources in Saudia Arabia that her husband may face a new trial, this time for renouncing faith. The apostasy charge is punishable under Saudi law with the death penalty by beheading.