He will have spent a decade of his life behind prison bars: Saudi blogger and activist Raif Badawi was released, his wife, Ensaf Haidar, said on Friday March 11.
He had been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for advocating an end to the influence of religion on public life in his country.
His release was confirmed by a Saudi security official.
"Raif called me, he's free," Ensaf Haidar told AFP very emotionally on Friday, after announcing the news on Twitter.
#Raifestlibre After 10 years of detention #Raifestlibre!
#Raifisfree After 10 years in prison #Raifisfree!
بعد 10 سنوات من السجن #رائف_حرّاً pic.twitter.com/1VA0XjSofs
— Ensaf Haidar ⚜️ (@miss9afi) March 11, 2022
A news confirmed by a Saudi security official to AFP on condition of anonymity: "Yes, he was released today," said this source without giving further details.
The former winner of the Reporters Without Borders prize for press freedom was sentenced at the end of 2014 to ten years in prison and 50 lashes a week for twenty weeks for "insulting Islam".
The 38-year-old man had become a symbol of freedom of expression around the world.
His wife and three children, who have become Canadian citizens, live in Quebec.
Ensaf Haidar has been fighting for years for the release of her husband and for him to join them in Canada.
"Raif Badawi, human rights defender in Saudi Arabia, has finally been released!" Amnesty International Canada tweeted, speaking of "long-awaited news".
"Raif Badawi finally free"
🙏 LONG-AWAITED NEWS: Raif Badawi, human rights defender in Saudi Arabia, has finally been released!
You have mobilized by the thousands alongside us in the defense of Raif Badawi for 10 years.
A big thank you to everyone for your tireless support!
pic.twitter.com/P1EKHoncQ7
— Amnesty International Canada (@AmnestyCA) March 11, 2022
"Thousands of you have mobilized alongside us in the defense of Raif Badawi for 10 years. A big thank you to all of you for your tireless support," added the NGO.
For Colette Lelièvre of Amnesty International Canada, it's a "great relief".
"Ensaf was losing her words because it was too sudden. She worked so hard to free her husband that emotions overwhelmed her," she said Friday after speaking with Raif Badawi's wife.
Amnesty recalls that the Saudi blogger remains for the moment subject to a ban on leaving the Wahhabi kingdom for ten years once his sentence has been served.
Quebec paved the way for Raif Badawi's exile to Canada by placing him on a priority list of potential immigrants for humanitarian reasons.
With AFP
The summary of the
France 24 week invites you to come back to the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news everywhere with you!
Download the France 24 app
google-play-badge_FR