Wednesday, May 07, 2014

Saudi activist sentenced to 10 years, 1,000 lashes for insulting Islam

This is what happens when religious conservatives get too much power.

A government does this is deeply evil.
And if this is truly compatible with their religion, then their religion is deeply evil.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/07/world/meast/saudi-activist-sentenced/?hpt=wo_c2

By Mohammed Jamjoom, CNN
updated 4:54 PM EDT, Wed May 7, 2014

Prominent Saudi activist Raif Badawi on Wednesday was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes by a Saudi court for insulting Islam, said his wife and a source who followed the case closely.

Badawi had appealed his original 2013 conviction, which carried a sentence of seven years in prison and 600 lashes, for insulting Islam and violating the Kingdom's anti-cybercrime laws.

That verdict was overturned by an appeals court and a retrial was ordered.

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The judgment also included a 1 million riyal fine, which is equal to about $267,000.

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Badawi, a respected rights activist in Saudi Arabia, first got into legal hot water with the Saudi government after starting a liberal website and forum where users could discuss religion.

His trial, guilty verdict, sentence and imprisonment has caused immense outrage among international rights groups like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, who accused Saudi authorities of cracking down on activism and attempting to quell dissent in the ultraconservative nation.

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In the last few months, the Saudi government has passed a series of very strong anti-terror laws that many rights groups fear will be used, among other things, as a way to quash dissent

Last year, prominent rights and reform activists Mohammed Al-Qahtani and Abdullah Al-Hamid were each sentenced to 10 years in prison.

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