MONTREAL -- The Quebec government says it will accelerate immigration procedures for Raif Badawi, the blogger in Saudi Arabia who has been sentenced to 1,000 lashes.
It was feared his punishment would resume Friday, but the Amnesty International office in Paris says it was postponed.
The postponment comes a few days after the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia upheld the sentence imposed on the blogger.
Badawi is not a Canadian citizen, although his wife and children fled Saudi Arabia in 2012 and settled in Sherbrooke, Que., in 2013.
Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil told reporters today the province would offer Badawi an immigration selection certificate on humanitarian grounds, which would speed up the process to allow him to reunite with his family in Quebec.
The Quebec government says it's now up to the Canadian government to pressure Saudi Arabia for his release.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also spoken out against Badawi's treatment, but has said Ottawa's influence is limited by the fact he is not a Canadian citizen.
Badawi has been imprisoned since 2012 for criticisms in his blog that promotes human rights and democracy in his country.
The Saudi court had sentenced the 31-year-old man to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for criticizing Saudi Arabian clerics.
However, after a first session of 50 lashes in January, all others were postponed, apparently due to health concerns and undisclosed reasons.
Badawi's detention and sentence have stirred up worldwide condemnation and Quebec politicians unanimously adopted a motion in February calling for his immediate release.
