Canada calls for Saudi Arabia to release Saudi blogger Raif Badawi

SANAA, Jan. 19 (YPA) – Canada has renewed its demands for the release of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday that the release of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, who has been detained since 2012, is a “priority” for all Canadians.

At a press conference, Trudeau said he had “directly” raised Badawi’s case with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G20 summit in late November in Argentina.

“The resolution of this case and the release of Raif Badawi is not only a priority for me and his family, but for Quebec Residents and all Canadians,” Trudeau added.

The Canadian Prime Minister indicated that he had proposed to the Saudi crown prince to issue a royal pardon for the Bedouin.

Trudeau met Badawi’s wife, Ensaf Haidar, who lives in Canada with her three children, and said that he could not “imagine” what she and her children are living because of her husband ‘s “long-time” prison.

Badawi, the co-founder of the Saudi Liberal network, was arrested in 2012 on charges of insulting Islam. He was sentenced in May 2014 to 10 years in prison.

E.M