Raif Badawi, 32, is a Saudi writer, blogger, and activist. He is the author behind the website, Free Saudi Liberals, before the Saudi authority closed it in 2013. Badawi was arrested in 2012 on the charge of ‘insulting Islamic beliefs’, and has therefore been sentenced to 10 years in prison, 1,000 lashes, and was given a fine.
(Image source: Raifbadawi.org)
The motivation behind Raif Badawi’s writings extend far beyond mere self-expression – he truly desired to witness change within the Saudi community. What he sought, above all else, was to initiate honest and intellectual discourse on how matters were to be addressed in his country; something, most can agree, is very much needed in Saudi Arabia. He wrote against the repression of freedom of speech, religious intolerance, and the extremist mentality that was prevalent within the country. Badawi was definitely not the anarchistic, aggressive rebel the Saudi authority portrayed him as; nor was he inciting others to take to the streets and riot. He was simply a pacifist who desired to enable public discussion.
Since his arrest, Badawi’s wife, Ensaf Haidar (who, along with her three children has taken refuge in Canada) has been advocating for his immeditate release, garnering significant attention in the process. The attention his case has received will be a decisive factor in how his case will play out. As the world witnessed earlier this year, when Saudi Arabia’s military coalition in Yemen was temporarily blacklisted by the U.N. for the atrocities against children amidst armed conflict (a decision that would be reverted through the means of blackmail), the Saudi authorities do, in fact, care a great deal about how the country is perceived within international standing. What this means, is that the country could, and should, be put under pressure by both, civilians and the media alike. Badawi’s case has garnered too much attention for it to simply be forgotten. As things stand, the amount of pressure exerted will dictate whether the authorities will succumb and release the imprisoned blogger to return to his family, or if he is to become a scapegoat, serving as grim reminder of the consequences that await similar dissidents in the country.
Since the Arab Spring , Saudi Arabia has been on the offensive against any of its critics, cracking down on any of those who dared to voice concern or disagreement against the Saudi regime. Nothing short of complete obedience is to be accepted. Young Saudi liberals live in absolute fear of the regime and are unable to speak out on any political matters, lest the Orwellian government strikes with brute force. Badawi’s release could be the catalyst needed to lay the foundations of a more lenient and accepting Saudi Arabia.
Badawi, who is diabetic and in overall poor condition, received the first 50 of the sentenced 1,000 lashes in January, 2015. The flogging has ceased since then, due to his deteriorating physical condition; however, threats of renewing his flogging have recently resurfaced. This, as Amnesty International described it, is an act of cruelty towards a man whose only crime was exercising his right to express himself.
The only thing Badawi’s family has now is hope, as Raif’s supporters look to take this case to the highest level of international diplomacy, the U.N., in order to call for his release this December. Please show your support : http://www.raifbadawi.org/the-campaign/how-you-can-help-raif-badawi.html
This article was written by HC Waseda Guest Writer, Ahmed Juhany.