A PROTEST vigil for a Saudi Arabian blogger sentenced to 1000 lashes for insulting Islam is being held in Stroud on Saturday.
Amnesty International Mid Gloucestershire are holding the vigil in Stroud High Street to highlight the plight of Raif Badawi.
Badawi, 31, was arrested in June 2012 after criticising the Saudi regime and expressing critical views of Islam on his blog.
He was eventually sentenced to ten years in jail and 1,000 lashes in May 2014.
Despite an international outcry, he received the first 50 of the 1,000 lashes in a public square in Jeddah on January 9.
Since then subsequent flogging sessions have been suspended on ‘medical grounds’ but it has been reported that he may be tried again for apostasy which is a capital offence in Saudi Arabia.
The human rights organisation Amnesty International has repeatedly called for the UK government to act against the sentencing, accusing UK ministers of “wearing the Saudi muzzle” in its muted response.
Amnesty protests are being held for Badawi in cities across Europe and outside the Saudi embassy in London every Friday at 9am.
The vigil will start at 10am and move from Stroud High Street to outside the Subscription Rooms.
For more information visit fb.com/amnestymidglos or call 01453 872446
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