Lash and jail for Saudi web activist Raef Badawi

[muriel_volestrangler]

A Saudi online activist has been jailed for seven years and sentenced to 600 lashes for urging religious liberalisation, his lawyer has said.

The activist, Raef Badawi, co-founded the Free Saudi Liberals website, an online forum for public debate.

He was arrested last year and convicted on Monday of setting up a website that undermined general security.
...
Mr Badawi was originally charged with apostasy, or abandonment of religion, a crime in Saudi Arabia that carries with it the death penalty.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23506404

[COLGATE4]

1. If they actually carry out the sentence

as it reads it's a death sentence. No human can withstand 600 lashes.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. it's in 4 groups of 150

Designed, I suppose, to bring him to the point of death, repeatedly.

[rug]

3. It looks like the apostasy charge didn't stick.

Lawyer Waleed Abu Alkhair told the BBC that Mr Badawi, a father of three, had confirmed in court that he was a Muslim but told the judge "everyone has a choice to believe or not believe."

He was convicted of the charges of setting up a website that undermines general security and of ridiculing religious figures.

Another win for the security state.

[dimbear]

4. They say you get the kind of government you deserve. Strange how often that works out

badly for Muslim countries.