Raif Badawi Flogging Postponed Due To Medical Reasons

Raif Badawi’s weekly flogging was postponed, as the wounds from last week’s assault have yet to heal. The decision was made by a prison doctor, who examined Badawi on Friday morning.

In 2012, Raif Badawi was arrested and charged with insulting Islam and denouncing his religion. He is accused of founding and running the Free Saudi Liberals website, which was deemed illegal according to Saudi Arabian law. In Saudi Arabia, denouncing one’s religion is punishable by death. However, Badawi’s life was spared, as authorities dismissed a portion of the original charges.

As reported by BBC News, Raif Badawi was eventually convicted of “insulting Islam through electronic channels” and “going beyond the realm of obedience.” In July 2013, he was sentenced to 600 lashes and seven years in prison.

Badawi appealed the court’s decision. However, his revised punishment was far worse. In May 2014, the appeals court upheld his original sentence. Additionally, they increased his sentence to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison. The high court also imposed a $260,000 fine and prohibited Badawi from international travel and social media “for 10 years after his release.”

In their final decision, the appeals court determined the defendant will receive 50 lashes each Friday for a period of 20 weeks.

Raif Badawi’s first flogging took place on January 9. However, this week’s flogging was postponed for medical reasons. In an official statement, Amnesty International explained the doctor’s decision.

“The doctor concluded that the wounds had not yet healed properly and that he would not be able to withstand another round of lashes at this time… He recommended that the flogging should be postponed until next week.”

Amnesty International representative Boumedouha said “the notion that Raif Badawi must be allowed to heal so that he can suffer this cruel punishment again and again is macabre and outrageous.” Boumedouha is not alone in his condemnation of the brutal punishment.

As reported by Yahoo! News, governmental agencies in Canada, Germany, Norway, and the United States have asked the Saudi Arabian government to halt Raif Badawi’s flogging.

Badawi’s wife also spoke out against her husband’s arrest and punishment by flogging. Ensaf Haidar said she and her children fled to Canada in 2012. However, she felt “an indescribable mixture of sadness and pain” when her husband was flogged.

Haidar applauds efforts to halt Badawi’s punishment. However, she wants Saudi Arabia to stop cruel and inhumane punishment practices.

“[Flogging] is a criminal, horrible punishment. No matter how strong a person he is, he will not be able to cope with that. It is not only physical torture but also psychological torture.”

It is unclear how Raif Badawi’s flogging affected his mental health, as his wife has not spoken to him in weeks. Unfortunately, the wounds on his back are healing more slowly than expected.

[Image via The Star]