World

World leaders bear a "moral responsibility" to help Raif Badawi, says Saudi blogger's wife

January 30, 2015
Raif Badawi in 2012 © Ensaf Haidar
Raif Badawi in 2012 © Ensaf Haidar

Human rights abuses may not be uncommon in Saudi Arabia, but the cruelty of Raif Badawi's case has been front-page news in the west and sparked protests from London to Washington and Montreal to Berlin. The blogger was sentenced to 10 years in prison, 1,000 lashes—to be dished out in weekly instalments—and a quarter of a million dollar fine after publishing articles about free speech and secularism. His former lawyer, Waleed Abu Alkhair, who established an independent human rights monitoring centre in Saudi, has also been imprisoned on charges of "undermining the regime."

Raif received the first 50 lashes on 9th January, in public, outside al-Jafali mosque in Jeddah after Friday prayers. Further rounds have been postponed after doctors said he could not withstand them. He is still set to receive a further 950 lashes.

Raif's wife, Ensaf Haidar, who first fled to Lebanon and is now living in Canada with their two children, has been tirelessly campaigning on his behalf. She told me she is hopeful that the international support of protestors and human rights groups may lead to his release. "Certainly applying pressure should lead to a positive solution," she said. "My only wish is for Raif to come and be with me in Canada." Asked what life has been like for her and her family since Raif's arrest, Ensaf said: "We are suffering. There are no words I can use to describe how much real pain we are suffering because of this situation. Truly we are in pain."

Western leaders were criticised on social media and in the press last week for the tributes they paid to Saudi Arabia's late King, Abdullah. US Secretary of State John Kerry lamented that, "The United States has lost a friend... and the world has lost a revered leader," while Tony Blair claimed he was, "loved by his people and will be deeply missed." Activists argue that western leaders are happy to do business with Saudi Arabia, while ignoring the human rights abuses that take place there.

As world leaders pay their respects to #KingAbdullah, who will acknowledge the victims of his regime? Blog: http://t.co/WQvD0lpMtD

— Amnesty UK (@AmnestyUK) January 24, 2015


#Blair on #KingAbdullah: "He was loved by his people and will be deeply missed." Someone please remind #RaifBadawi... http://t.co/VorA0rdOLS

— Mìcheal Marten (@MichaelMarten) January 23, 2015




Could and should the west be doing more, I ask Ensaf. "In the case of Raif Badawi," she said, "all world leaders should bear a moral responsibility."

Today, reports are coming in that Raif's associate, the liberal Saudi women's activist Souad al-Shammary, has been released from prison, raising hopes about his case. Amnesty UK's petition has received more than a million signatures. You can sign a letter here asking the UK's new Ambassador to Saudi Arabia to prioritise Raif's case, or tweet your support using the hashtag #FreeRaif.