January 2013 Action Item

Web-editor Raif Badawi has faced harassment and intimidation ever since launching the “Free Saudi Liberals” website as a forum for the open and peaceful discussion of religious topics and religious figures. Some of the charges against him stem from articles written about things as simple as Valentine's Day—a holiday forbidden in Saudi Arabia. A voice for freedom and the rights and protection of women and others in his country, Raif Badawi now faces the death penalty for apostasy, though all his actions have been peaceful and merely served to promote diaglogue in this very closed society. Even his father and brother have distanced themselves from him, and his wife's family have begun proceedings for a forcible divorce to be issued to end his marriage.

Act!

In this urgent and very delicate matter, we are seeking the intervention of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Join us as we join others calling for the safeguard and freedom of Raif Badawi.


WRITE TO:

Heiner Bielefeldt, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland

Suggested Points:

  1. Express your deep concern for the dire situation of Saudi web-editor Raif Badawi, who is currently facing the death penalty for writing articles encouraging the free discussion of religion, as well as the establishment of a website designed to be an open forum for diaglogue about religious matters.
  2. Indicate your understanding that this is a delicate and crucial matter, and therefore you are urgently requesting Mr. Bielefeldt use the power and influence of his position to intervene with the Saudi government on behalf of Mr. Badawi.
  3. Respectfully urge that Mr. Bielefeldt recognize the immediate need for intervention, as Raif Badawi's life hangs in the balance. Request that he seize this opportunity to assist Saudi Arabia—and other nations—to take a positive move toward a freer and more civil society. The execution of a peaceable citizen merely for his written words would be an enormous setback to the protection and preservation of universal human rights globally.
  4. Sincerely thank Mr. Bielefeldt for his timely attention to this most urgent matter.