A Saudi court on Monday sentenced a human rights activist to jail and to hundreds of lashes for creating what judges deemed a “liberal” network and for insulting Islam.
“Raef Badawi has been sentenced to seven years in jail and 600 lashes,” lawyer Waleed Abualkhair said, on his Twitter account. The attorney also said the judge ordered the website, the Saudi Liberal Network, to be closed, Agence France-Presse reported.
Mr. Badawi co-founded the network with a female rights activist, Suad al-Shammari, AFP reported.
One of their most controversial postings, AFP reported: The site declared on May 7, 2012, a “day of liberalism” and called for the end of a religious-run government in Saudi Arabia.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.