The National Assembly has unanimously adopted a motion demanding the release of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, imprisoned in Saudi Arabia since 2012.
The motion was passed in the presence of Badawi’s wife Ensaf Haidar, who obtained refugee status in Quebec along with her three children. The family lives in Sherbrooke.
Haidar spoke with Premier Philippe Couillard who told her that he would do everything in him power to help.
Diplomatic options are limited, however, because Badawi is not Canadian.
“Clearly we cannot go there and bring him back and we have to be aware of that but the more the democratic world shows its indignation and continues to support this family, the greater the chances of success,” said Couillard during a brief press conference with Haidar in the corridors of the National Assembly.
Haidar, speaking broken French, thanked the government of Quebec and the National Assembly for the support.
Couillard has said in the past that he has discussed the issue with the Saudi ambassador to Canada and that he pleaded on Badawi’s behalf alongside former Minister of Canadian Affairs Foreign Minister John Baird during his recent visit to Davos, Switzerland at the World Economic Forum.
Couillard is well-acquainted with Saudi Arabia, having lived and worked there from 1992 to 1996.
When asked if his knowledge of the country and the Arabic language opened doors for him, Couillard said that the Saudi regime was complicated and that his past links “do not necessarily help.”
Couillard said that it was impossible to say whether the Saudi regime would bend to international pressure.
Raif Badawi has been jailed in Saudi Arabia since 2012 for criticizing the Saudi regime and for speaking out about Islam in his blog, which promotes human rights and democracy in his country.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, fined $300,000 and sentenced to 1,000 lashes.
Badawi received his first 50 lashes a few weeks ago but according to Amnesty International subsequent flogging sessions were postponed.
The motion of the National Assembly was also sent to the Canadian Parliament, the Foreign Minister as well as the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Canada.
