Saudi blogger sentenced to public floggings and 10 years

Ever take the right to blog freely for granted? You oughtn’t.

As reported in the Inquisitr, Saudi Blogger, Raif Badawi, was lashed with a cane fifty times from his upper back to his legs in a public square on Friday. His offense – ‘Insulting Islam’ and being critical of ultra-conservatives on his blog and other social networks, including Facebook.

This is just the beginning of his sentence. Lashings will continue once a week for twenty weeks followed by ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Badawi was initially sentenced to seven years and 600 lashes, but the court increased the sentence when he appealed.

Per the New York Times, Badwadi was dragged from a bus in shackles on his feet and hands before being flogged in a public square.

A source told Reporters Without Borders that while being driven in a police car to the mosque, Badawi thought about those who have supported him and, while being flogged, pronounced the name of each supporter during each lash in order to give himself courage and strength.

Badawi is the father of three. His wife and children are living safely in Canada.

Governments like Saudi Arabia, which have “licensed” the press, are struggling with bloggers. Anyone with a computer is capable of exercising free expression.

Saudi Arabia is not the first country cracking down on bloggers like a ton of bricks. Governments are looking to send a message to other bloggers thinking of exercising freedom of speech and dissent.

The next time we think of self-censoring ourselves on our blogs, we need to think of Raif Badawi. He’s giving up more than we’ll ever be called to.