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For Raif Badawi, every moment counts - Amir Khadir, NPD and PQ spokespersons, Amnesty

For Raif Badawi, every moment counts - Amir Khadir, NPD and PQ spokespersons, Amnesty

http://www.fil-information.gouv.qc.ca/Pages/Article.aspx?aiguillage=ajd&...

AI francophone section, party spokespersons call for action to freen Saudi blogger Raif Badaw, who has already endured 50 lashes last week.

http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/estrie/2015/01/13/001-vigile-montreal...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/raif-badawi-flogging-vigil-held-a...

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/saudi-arabian-blogger-getting-support-from-am...

 

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Comments

Submitted by 6079_Smith_W on January 13, 2015 - 3:14pm.

Terrible story. Thanks for posting.

 

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Submitted by lagatta on January 13, 2015 - 3:26pm.

You can sign the petition here: https://www.amnistie.ca/outils/petitions/index.php?PetitionID=69

But I clicked on "English" and it doesn't take you to the English version, as the English and French speaking sections are separate entities. The English AI Canada should probably have the petition as well, though.

Of course everyone could also write to their MP (but my MP is Alexandre Boulerice, and my MNA is Françoise David, so I'm sure they've already signed).

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Submitted by Unionist on January 13, 2015 - 5:57pm.

NDP calls for the release of Saudi free speech activist

Quote:

Official Opposition Critic for Human Rights Wayne Marston (Hamilton - Stoney Creek) issued the following statement today [January 9]:

"New Democrats are appalled that imprisoned Saudi Arabian free speech activist Raif Badawi will be flogged in public today as part of his sentence.

Raif Badawi has been imprisoned since June 2012 for founding a website to promote political and social debate in Saudi Arabia. He was charged with “setting up a website that undermines public security” and ridiculing Islamic religious figures.

Amnesty International reported numerous irregularities in his trial.  Mr. Badawi was sentenced to 1,000 lashes, 10 years in prison and a significant fine.

Last May I wrote to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, asking him to intervene with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia to secure Mr. Badawi’s release. While I have yet to receive a reply from Mr. Baird’s office, I reiterate that call to intervene today and urge him to call for Mr. Badawi’s immediate release before this awful sentence is carried out.

Mr. Badawi’s wife and children currently reside in Canada.‎ ‎Every effort should be made to free him so he can rejoin them, rather than suffer this horrific punishment for exercising freedom of speech."

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Submitted by lagatta on January 14, 2015 - 7:44am.

http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/428819/un-charlie-nomme-badawi

Amir Khadir speaks out for Raif Badawi, and for the strange exemption the Saudi kingdom gets from "religious extremism".

 

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Submitted by 6079_Smith_W on January 14, 2015 - 10:37am.

Including execution by sword.

And without sidetracking, it is bizarre, given how many foreign workers there are in Saudi Arabia. According to this 2012 article, 90 percent of workers in the private sector are foreign nationals:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/22/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-to-fine-...

I was shocked when I came across that a few years ago.

As for the sentence, I heard an interview last year which described 50 lashes a week as effectively death by torture.

 

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Submitted by lagatta on January 14, 2015 - 11:09am.

It is, as it doesn't give the body an opportunity to recover, and as for the mind, the anticipation of torture can easily cause someone to go utterly mad.

Leaving a destroyed but living victim can also be a desired effect of torture, as the victims often go on to wreak havoc on their families, friends and communities.

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Submitted by Red Winnipeg on January 15, 2015 - 10:55am.
Does this deserve 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison? http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/14/-sp-saudi-blogger-extracts-... Obviously, that is a rhetorical question. But, it is a reminder of how critical unfettered free speech is to freedom in general.
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Submitted by Unionist on January 15, 2015 - 12:56pm.

Forgot to post the English version of Amnesty's appeal. Please send a message, write a letter, share with your friends, etc.

http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1770&ea.campaign.id=...

 

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Submitted by Red Winnipeg on January 15, 2015 - 2:34pm.
If we accept a culture where the content of speech is censored due to political considerations (e.g., no denying the Holocaust in France, or no speaking against the existing regime in Saudi Arabia, or hate speech laws in Europe and Canada), then we have no principled grounds on which to object when our speech is censored for political reasons when someone is in power who strongly disagrees with our ideas. This is why I believe so strongly that a culture where free-flowing speech is allowed, regardless of content, is vital to freedom.
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Submitted by Red Winnipeg on January 15, 2015 - 5:24pm.

Pope Francis said today, "one cannot make fun of faith" and "One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people's faith, one cannot make fun of faith."

Good to know, Frank.

It really bothers me when someone insists, "You cannot criticize me. You cannot make fun of me."

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Submitted by lagatta on January 15, 2015 - 5:29pm.

Frankie must have a hell of a time with that Boccaccio guy. Full of stories about horny, stupid, greedy, drunken or dishonest priests, nuns and Church bigshots...

Thanks, Unionist. I couldn't find the English version when I started this thread.

 

 

 

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Submitted by ikosmos on January 15, 2015 - 5:49pm.

lagatta wrote:
Frankie must have a hell of a time with that Boccaccio guy.

Or Chaucer.

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Submitted by Unionist on January 15, 2015 - 5:53pm.

Red Winnipeg wrote:

Pope Francis said today, "one cannot make fun of faith" and "One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people's faith, one cannot make fun of faith."

Oh come on, he oughta know. After all, the Pope is inphallible.

 

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Submitted by 6079_Smith_W on January 16, 2015 - 9:12am.

They have postponed his second round of lashing on medical grounds.

Evidently their torture doctors know how to keep people alive for awhile. Probably had good training.

 

 

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Submitted by Pondering on January 16, 2015 - 5:26pm.

It has been posponed because the optics are bad for Harper with the massive arms trade deal going through and the focus on defending free speech. The arms deal and Charlie Hebdo may save his life.

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Submitted by lagatta on January 16, 2015 - 6:35pm.

Along with much more grassroots pressure. Please keep it up.

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Submitted by lagatta on January 22, 2015 - 12:57pm.

The flogging has been suspended for another week, again "for medical reasons".

Québec solidaire MNAs' open letter to the Gazette in support of Raif Badawi:

http://montrealgazette.com/news/world/opinion-canadas-complacency-toward...

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Submitted by NDPP on January 22, 2015 - 2:43pm.

The Canada-Saudi arms deal provides the necessary leverage to include Badawi in the deal. And there's already a meeting arranged...

Baird Invited to 'Make or Break' Meeting on Syria

http://www.24news.ca/the-news/canada-news/87212-baird-invited-to-make-or...

"Invitees include senior political figures from Iraq, Jordan, France, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and The League of Arab States

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Submitted by lagatta on January 28, 2015 - 10:48am.

Al Jazeera report on Raif, his wife Ensaf Haidar and other supporters here, as well as a bit more on the arms deal: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/01/150123085755115.html

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Submitted by lagatta on February 8, 2015 - 11:16am.

Video: letter from Doudi to his dad Raif in a Saudi jail:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4ESiwgr8No&feature=youtu.be

Lovely shots of the hills of Sherbrooke in autumn, by the way.

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Submitted by lagatta on June 12, 2015 - 11:34am.

Raif has been granted Quebec immigration selection.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/raif-badawi-granted-quebec-immigr...

http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/raif-badawi-again-spared-flog...

http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/montreal-the-moment/gazette-m...

Keep up the pressure on the Saudi and the Harperite petro-regimes!

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Submitted by Unionist on June 12, 2015 - 12:54pm.

Notwithstanding my opposition to imperialist aggression, I might support bombing Saudi Arabia back into the Stone Age, if they weren't still there.

 

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Submitted by lagatta on January 26, 2016 - 11:06am.

Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie MP Alexandre Boulerice has launched a petition calling on the Canadian government to grant citizenship to Raif Badawi, to step up the pressure on Saudi Arabia and free Raif and reunite his family in Sherbrooke.

http://www.jappuie-boulerice.org/monsieur_trudeau_accordez_la_citoyennet...

J’exhorte le gouvernement à revenir sur sa décision de ne pas accorder la citoyenneté canadienne à Raif Badawi. Les spécialistes des droits de la personne, comme ceux d'Amnistie internationale, demandent au gouvernement d’accorder la citoyenneté canadienne à M. Badawi afin d’accentuer la pression sur le gouvernement de l’Arabie saoudite, en vue d'obtenir sa libération et de le ramener auprès de sa famille.

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Submitted by swallow on January 26, 2016 - 1:47pm.

Cool. Imprtiant because Ottawa says it won’t grant imprisoned Saudi blogger Canadian citizenship and Trudeau not ready to personally intervene in case of jailed Saudi blogger. 

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Submitted by lagatta on January 27, 2016 - 3:53am.

Yes, I know. I hope people will sign it. I didn't see an English version, but perhaps accessing Boulerice's site in English?

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Submitted by swallow on January 30, 2016 - 9:43am.

Feeling rather down about the chances on this one these days. I can't even get a simple "thank you for your e-mail" from the foreign minister or my Liberal MP to letters on the topic. 

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Submitted by swallow on February 19, 2016 - 9:25am.

Please consider signing the petition to grant Raif Badawi honourary Canadian citizenship, launched by Sherbrooke MP Pierre-Luc Dusseault.

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Submitted by lagatta on February 19, 2016 - 11:19am.

Thanks swallow, I've also sent it to my MP in hopes that he will also put it up on his site.

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Submitted by swallow on February 19, 2016 - 3:35pm.

Helene Laverdiere is pushing the petition. 

We probably need an English version too! 

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Submitted by swallow on November 26, 2016 - 8:55pm.

Please consider signing Amnesty International Quebec's new petition asking Justin Trudeau to intervene publicly for Raif Badawi

 

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