Saudi blogger Badawi 'flogged for Islam insult'

[Redheart]

BBC News - Saudi blogger Badawi 'flogged for Islam insult'

A Saudi Arabian blogger has been publicly flogged after being convicted of cybercrime and insulting Islam, reports say.

Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail, was flogged 50 times. The flogging will be carried out weekly, campaigners say.

Rights groups condemned his conviction and the US appealed for clemency.

Attacks on freedom of speech? Nonetheless if someone knows something is illegal in their homeland why bother breaking the law and expect to get away with it?

 

[ProShell]

I think that there should be some kind of retribution, the United States should issue a formal statement of disapproval. We are seeing this outpouring of support for free speech in France, but nothing for free speech in Saudi Arabia.

 

[Gasoline]

What's kind of freedom is that ?

That man is trying to insult people because of their religion and spread trolls .
Of course, that's not only for saying his opinion.. Those people are working for malicious agenda and I saw their website .

If the government didn't punish him other people will follow his way to violate the national cohesion and a lot of mess will be there !

He lives in a community with Muslims majority and trying to insult Muslims in their community & Holy land ? What does that means ?

Does he wants to show people that I'm above the laws..and I insulted you & your religion on your holy land ! and no body stand on my face !


The result of such that doing is a religious extremists to achieve justice by terrorist acts against the government.

What I want to noticed , is that if laws applied on some people while the other not.. People will look for justice by any way .

 

[joshua minaya]

BBC News - Saudi blogger Badawi 'flogged for Islam insult'

Attacks on freedom of speech? Nonetheless if someone knows something is illegal in their homeland why bother breaking the law and expect to get away with it?

This is a very sad news how can this kind of thing be happening in this modern day world.

 

[Gabriel]

Freedom of speech and and expression is not everywhere and most people that would write such things would use a different name and make sure it couldn't be traced. Even though to us in the Western world where freedom of speech is allowed it maybe wrong, but he got caught (am sure he would have known this) and Saudi Arabia does not tolerate such behavior just as China doesn't or North Korea.

Writing such things put his family in danger and I don't know if he took steps to shield his identity, but he knew the consequences. This may sound harsh, but if you have ever been in a repressed country you know what to say and what not to if you value your freedom.

 

[missbishi]

OK, I know we should all be able to speak freely and usually we can. However, what is the sense in publishing potentially inflammatory material with the climate being as it is? We KNOW what insulting Islam can cause, why not just err on the side of caution? I don't think my life has been made any poorer by not exercising my right to insult Islam (not that I particularly want to) so why stir things up?

 

[weepforsweep]

I am all for supporting freedom of speech. This barbaric action shouldn't happen to anybody. I'm disgusted that were aligned with the Saudis.

 

[globulon]

Every day I am thankful for freedom of speech and the right to be able to express myself in any way I want. Some people may abuse this right and actively try to instigate anger and offense. However, I think this is a small price to pay to be able to live in a free society.

 

[missbishi]

Every day I am thankful for freedom of speech and the right to be able to express myself in any way I want. Some people may abuse this right and actively try to instigate anger and offense. However, I think this is a small price to pay to be able to live in a free society.

Absolutely! Yes we have free speech but it is still sensible to be careful. Sometimes I wonder if people publish these articles on purpose, to try and get some sort of reaction. Doing this doesn't make your life any richer so why bother?

 

[Scorpion]

I think that there should be some kind of retribution, the United States should issue a formal statement of disapproval. We are seeing this outpouring of support for free speech in France, but nothing for free speech in Saudi Arabia.

Isn't anti-semitism against freedom of speech in the US and considered to be hate speech? Why can't that apply to this guy? Or is that the double stander of the west. Hypocrisy in another word!

 

[vegito12]

The person should have been careful, and living among ones who loyal to islam and insulting them is not going to do any good will make them attack and be punished. He could have had death, but will face lashes each week and prison for 10 years for this should have gotten advice on what to publish and how to do it. Freedom of speech in war countries or ones like this one, don't allow freedom of speech a lot and have to be careful in what you say to others.

 

[starshine]

Isn't anti-semitism against freedom of speech in the US and considered to be hate speech? Why can't that apply to this guy? Or is that the double stander of the west. Hypocrisy in another word!

Of course it's the double standard of the West!
I mean, Saudi Arabia is known for being a dictature. That they'd punish freedom of speech (or freedom of hate) is to be expected, at the very least. We don't make such a huge of it usually because Saudi Arabia are our allies.
But the Western countries are self-proclaimed democracies and yet they do put limits to freedom of speech. They say it's for ethical purposes (like how in France you are not allowed to say that the Holocaust did not happen or to say it might have happened differently)

 

[drc65]

It is awful that this kind of behaviour is still around in 2015. But he knew the risks and perhaps we don't understand the culture over there so well. Although I certainly do not approve.

 

[Falcon29]

What's kind of freedom is that ?

That man is trying to insult people because of their religion and spread trolls .
Of course, that's not only for saying his opinion.. Those people are working for malicious agenda and I saw their website .

If the government didn't punish him other people will follow his way to violate the national cohesion and a lot of mess will be there !

He lives in a community with Muslims majority and trying to insult Muslims in their community & Holy land ? What does that means ?

Does he wants to show people that I'm above the laws..and I insulted you & your religion on your holy land ! and no body stand on my face !


The result of such that doing is a religious extremists to achieve justice by terrorist acts against the government.

What I want to noticed , is that if laws applied on some people while the other not.. People will look for justice by any way .

I agree, it's not worth the breakup of another ME society /state because of one person's agenda.

Although I believe they should spare the rest of lashes in his sentence. Just keep the sentence public and in private make it less. Try talking to him and make him understand the sensitive tensions in region don't need his sentiments to fuel the fire.

 

[Stims]

There is a very fine line between freedom of speech, and being an outright *****, a racist and anything else.

I don't know the story, but this guy knows the laws and if he was racist or hateful in anyway deserves his punishment.

That being said, the other debate would be whether or not people have a right to be offended?