Raif Badawi: a New Trial

03 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by michelinewalker in Fundamentalism, The Middle East

Tags

Apostasy, Ensaf Haidar, Raif Badawi, The Middle East

Ensaf Haidar, wife of blogger Raif Badawi, says she won’t stop fighting for his freedom. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

Yesterday morning, I read the News in complete disbelief. How could they?

Raif Badawi had been accused of insulting Islam, but it is my understanding that he now stands accused of committing apostasy, or renouncing his faith. If he is found guilty, the sentence will be death by beheading. That is the law.

If apostasy there is and the Saudis find Raif guilty, the Saudis, not Raif, will have committed apostasy. In other words, Allah is not asking for the blood of an innocent man. Men are, and men can be merciless. That is their only might. God, however, is infinite mercy.

According to this morning’s paper, there was some effort to free Raif on the part of Ottawa, Canada’s federal government.

I doubt that there will be justice for Raif. Not now that he stands accused of apostasy. Yet, we must continue to hope and fight. Ensaf Haidar, Raif’s wife, is alive, and so are three small children. They need our support.

There have been miracles.

With my kindest regards to all of you.

Sufi Music

Unanimous Vote to Release Raif Badawi

25 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by michelinewalker in Extremism, News, The Middle East

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Ensaf Haidar, Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds, Mayor Denis Coderre, Montreal City Council, Raif Badawi, Saudi Arabia

Montreal city council is lending its support to Raif Badawi, as well as his wife and three children who are currently living in Quebec. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press) (Caption and photo credit: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/raif-badawi-flogging-condemned-by-city-of-montreal-1.2966550

It was not my intention to post a revised version of my article on Relativity and the Rule of Law, but it happened. This post, on Raif Badawi, also published itself automatically.

The Montreal City Council

A unanimous vote
A message sent to Ottawa

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the municipal council of the city of Montreal voted unanimously to ask that Raif Badawi be released and join his wife and children in Quebec. Denis Coderre, the mayor of Montreal and a former Minister of Immigration at the Federal level, Ottawa, is asking that the Canadian Government provide Raif Badawi with a special permit granting him the status of landed immigrant. Mr Badawi would be given a Canadian passport.

Badawi’s wife Ensaf Haidar lives in Quebec with their three children. She has been actively petitioning the government to step in on behalf of her husband and seek his release from a Saudi jail. (Fred Chartrand/CP) (Caption and photo credit: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds

Mr Badawi has now been detained for three years and was flogged on 9 January 2015. He would be released on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds. He has a wife and three children in Canada and should be allowed to join them.

Ensaf Haidar, Mr Badawi’s wife, has appeared on television programmes Canadians do not miss: Tout le monde en parle (Everyone is talking about it) and As it happens.

Mr Badawi’s case is being reviewed by the Saudi Supreme Court. Canada has a friendly relationship with the Saudi government. Whether or not this factor will help Mr Badawi is impossible to predict.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/raif-badawi-flogging-case-to-be-reviewed-by-saudi-arabia-report-1.2912280

Ensaf Haidar is a very determined and brave wife.

My kindest regards to all of you.

Quebec Supports Raif Badawi: a Vote

13 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by michelinewalker in Fundamentalism, Raif Badawi, The Middle East

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Ensaf Haidar, Quebec Premier Phiippe Couillard, Raif Badawi, Stephen Harper, The Middle East

Ensaf Haid[a]r, right, wife of Raif Badawi, walks with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, left, to his office, after the legislature voted unanimously in favour of a motion to free her husband from a Saudi Arabia jail, Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at the legislature in Quebec City. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec-legislature-votes-to-support-jailed-saudi-blogger-raif-badawi/article22936237/

One cannot be too optimistic. However, I am reassured by the fact that, on 11 February 2015, the Quebec legislature voted unanimously to ask, as a government, that Raif Badawi be released.

Raif Badawi is not a Canadian citizen, which hinders diplomatic efforts. Yet, if an entire legislative assembly votes to help an innocent young man, the Saudi judiciary and its Royals may respond favourably. They are human beings and they have seen one of their own burned alive.

Canadian Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, will not contact the Saudi embassy regarding Mr Badawi’s sentence. Mr Badawi is not a Canadian citizen. However, if a member of Parliament (Canada) should submit a motion asking for the release of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi and a vote should ensue supporting Mr Badawi, that could be helpful. I may be wrong.

Unfortunately, converts are still flocking to the Middle East to join ISIL. How can we stop them? It’s a serious issue.

I wish to thank premier Philippe Couillard and all members of the Quebec legislature for supporting Ensaf Haidar’s effort to free her husband. The motion to support Mr Badawi was made by Luc Fortin, a Member of the National Assembly (Quebec).

“Sükun” de Hüseyin Özkılıç (Egypt)