Jailed blogger gets EU gong

STRASBOURG: Raif Badawi, a Saudi blogger jailed and lashed for insulting Islam on an internet forum he created to boost public debate, was due yesterday to be honoured by the European Parliament with its top human rights award.

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is dominated by the puritanical Wahhabi movement of Sunni Islam, is rated as one of the world’s most restrictive states.

Badawi was selected i n October for this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, because of exceptional courage that had earned him “one of his country’s most gruesome punishments”, parliament President Martin Schulz said at the time.

The €50,000 award, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, honours individuals who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Previous recipients include former South African president Nelson Mandela and Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Badawi’s wife Ensaf Haider, who will collect the award on his behalf at a ceremony on Wednesday, said it “symbolises the biggest step towards Raif’s freedom”, in a discussion with EU lawmakers on Monday.

“I would have liked to see him taking the prize himself, with me by his side, but unfortunately he is not here,” she added.

The 31-year-old Badawi was arrested more than three years ago for criticising the Saudi religious police and sentenced to 10 years in jail and 1,000 lashes for insulting Islam.

He received the first 50 lashes in January. They were then suspended on health grounds, amid a global outcry at his punishment.