To ask you to phone the Saudi embassy tomorrow morning

[beatricequimby]

The Saudi Supreme Court has just upheld the sentence of 10 years in prison and 1000 lashes against the blogger Raif Badawi. He could be flogged again tomorrow.

This is a very moving video about Raif made by his ten year old son

Amnesty are asking people to phone the Saudi embassy in London before 10 tomorrow to ask them to halt the flogging and free Raif unconditionally.

You can phone 02079173000 and either choose option 2 or hold.

[sadwidow28]

You can phone 02079173000 and either choose option 2 or hold

Offices only open 9am to 4pm - we might have to jam the telephone lines at 9am tomorrow!

Have signed the petition and Tweeted. If we value freedom of speech, then we must demand that all citizens of the world are entitled to speak and debate openly without fear.

We must also ask our Government to cease dealings with any state/country that continues to oppress women, suppresses free speech and discharges barbaric punishments.

[AwkwardSquad]

Signed.

[lilivonshtupp]

Thank you, yes, I will phone the Saudi Embassy in my country.

This is heartbreaking and something needs to be done. My kids and I have already sent letters to the embassy where we live. But we need to do more.

[Nancery]

Called and got an answerphone message - can't leave a message myself. Signed the petition

[MrsFring]

We do. Now.

[Weebirdie]

Friday is the Holy Day in the Muslim world and the start of the weekend.

[sadwidow28]

Can everyone on Twitter copy and Tweet the following:

Please sign and RT Amnesty International petition for Rafi Badawi (blogger) www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/saudi-arabia-free-raif-badawi-flogged-blogger?thankyou=1 He may be flogged again tomorrow.

[msgrinch]

Signed and will call tomorrow and get colleagues to call too.

[sadwidow28]

Sorry, spelling error alert!


Please sign and RT Amnesty International petition for Raif Badawi (blogger) www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/saudi-arabia-free-raif-badawi-flogged-blogger?thankyou=1 He may be flogged again tomorrow.

[sadwidow28]

They used Friday last time when he was given his first 50 lashes. It may be a 'Holy Day' but it is also the day they dispense punishment outside the Mosque.

The men came out of the Mosque to jeer and chant - it was part of their ritual.

[MrsFring]

.

[sadwidow28]

The Guardian is reporting tomorrow's possible 2nd flogging: www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/11/saudi-blogger-raif-badawi-next-lashes-friday

[partialderivative]

Inhuman.
I cannot understand such a community.

[sadwidow28]

Bump!

More signatures and sharing for the petition needed.

[MrsFring]

Please sign now. This is urgent.

[TTWK]

They have oil, lots of it, and we need oil. They spend some of their oil money on weapons, weapons that we make. Therefore they can do what they like, when they like, to whom they like, and there's not a damn thing anyone with any power will ever do about it.

These are the same backward fuckwits who let boarding schoolgirls burn to death in their school at night because the religious police decided they weren't suitably dressed and the firemen may have been overcome with lust if they'd gone in to get them out.

Compared to the dead schoolgirls, and the 20 people they behead every month for crimes such as sorcery, this case isn't really big news.

[thewomaninwhitefluffybunnyears]

Signed. There are no words. This is 2015.

[Bakeoffcake]

I've signed.

TTWK why don't we hear about this stuff in the West?

[HairyMcMary]

This case is big news.
We can choose to stop weapons dealing with Saudi Arabia, we could take a stand like Sweden.
All campaigns are raised and won, all profile raising is done, on a few carefully chosen cases.
Raif Badawi is a gentle man who has committed no harm and his 'crime' is one of intellect and free expression.
It is big news because the free world feels so strongly about free expression.
This is a violent, brutal, and even by Saudi standards, harsh punishment for writing a blog and starting a discussion site.
This is in th public eye. The more public whose it the higher awareness is raised.
your comments emphasise the brutal context in Saudi Arabia, TTWK, and will remind people that the horror is indeed constant , and hopefully persuade even more people too sign Amnesty's petition and ask our government (and monarchy) who they are consorting with.

Sorry if all you wanted to do was shrug and pour cold water on the whole thing. But why would you want to do that anyway?

[HairyMcMary]

BakeOff: we DO hear about it. But clearly there need to be campaigns like this so that more people hear more about it.

[MrsFring]

.

[sadwidow28]

I agree that TTWK makes valid points. However, this thread is about getting Saudi Arabia to stop the flogging of Raif Badawi tomorrow.

Please sign and share: www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/saudi-arabia-free-raif-badawi-flogged-blogger?thankyou=1

Some of us have been very unhappy about Tony Blair's role as Ambassador - he has been doing alms and oil deals from the day he became UK Prime Minister.

But he's okay - he is worth £millions himself now! That's his family sorted!!!

[MrsFring]

.

[Weebirdie]

Sadwidow, I believe the question was why would the Embassy be closed on a Friday?

My reply explained why.