Stop 950 more lashes

Stop 950 more lashes for Raif Badawi

Dear Tracy, This morning, we learned that the planned weekly flogging of Raif Badawi was postponed on medical grounds. Raif was lashed so brutally - 50 times with a cane - last week that a doctor concluded that Raif would not be able to withstand another set of lashes until his wounds healed. The floggings, which are scheduled to happen every Friday, are part of Raif's abhorrent sentence of 10 years and 1,000 lashes for publishing a website in Saudi Arabia that encourages social, religious and political debate. The postponement of today's flogging on medical grounds highlights the utter brutality of Raif's punishment. Amnesty is mobilizing our movement to prevent the 950 remaining lashes to which Raif has been sentenced from happening. We are calling for Raif's immediate and unconditional release. Please donate to support our efforts fighting for Raif and other individuals who peacefully express their beliefs. An eyewitness shared his account of the flogging Raif received on January 9. "Raif was escorted from a bus and placed in the middle of the crowd, guarded by eight or nine officers. He was handcuffed and shackled but his face was not covered -everyone could see his face... A security officer approached him from behind with a huge cane and started beating him. Raif raised his head towards the sky, closing his eyes and arching his back. He was silent, but you could tell from his face and his body that he was in real pain. The officer beat Raif on his back and legs, counting the lashes until they reached 50." Raif is scheduled to be flogged another 950 times over the next 19 weeks. Do your part to help stop it. Support Amnesty's campaign to free Raif. With hope for justice, Jasmine Heiss Senior Campaigner, Individuals at Risk Amnesty International USA