Saudi blogger Raif Badawi wins EU rights prize

Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for insulting Islam, was awarded the European Parliament’s prestigious Sakharov human rights prize on Thursday.

Parliament head Martin Schulz, announcing the award, denounced the sentence the pro-democracy blogger faces as “brutal torture” and called on Saudi King Salman to free Mr Badawi immediately and to ensure the respect of human rights.

“This man has had ... Imposed on him one of the most cruel penalties which can only be described as brutal torture,” Mr Schulz said.

“I call on the Saudi King to immediately free him,” he told a packed assembly, adding that the 28-nation European Union expected its partners to live up to its standards on the crucial question of human rights.

“Relations depend on human rights being respected by our partners... They are not only not being respected but are being trod underfoot,” he said in remarks translated from the German.

A Saudi Arabian court sentenced Mr Badawi, 31, to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail in 2014 for insulting Islam but halted the whippings after a first round of 50 lashes sparked global outrage.

The Saudi blogger’s wife said that Sakharov prize is a “message of hope”.

On Thursday, she said that his winning of the European Parliament’s prestigious Sakharov human rights prize was a “message of hope and courage.”

“I thank the European Parliament. I am very happy about this award,” Ensaf Haidar said.

“It is a message of hope and courage for him,” she said.

“It is also a message to the Saudi authorities to the effect that “Raif is not guilty,” said his wife, who lives in Canada with their three children.