The European Union on Monday expressed outrage over Saudi Arabia’s confirmation of a verdict against a blogger who was found guilty of insulting Islam, AP reported.
The blogger, 31-year-old father Raif Badawi, was pubicly lashed 50 times in January outside a mosque in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah, sparking an international outcry against the kingdom’s use of corporal punishment.
The EU, which forbids torture, has decried treatment of Badawi, saying corporal punishment is “unacceptable and contrary to human dignity,” AP reported.
Badawi, who started the “Free Saudi Liberals” website, was arrested in June 2012 for insulting Islamic figures and breaking Saudi technology laws. He faces 1,000 lashes and ten years in prison.
The Saudi Suprime Court’s decision to uphold Badawi’s sentence cannot be overturned without a royal pardon.
