Sep 20, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2019

USCIRF calls for immediate Release of blogger Raif Badawi

WASHINGTON DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns Saudi Arabia’s intensified mistreatment of religious prisoner of conscience Raif Badawi. The Saudi government has denied Badawi access to books and to crucial medicine, and he has declared a hunger strike in protest. Saudi Arabia arrested Badawi in 2012 on charges of “apostasy” and insulting Islam. USCIRF has advocated for Saudi Arabia to release Raif Badawi since 2013 and recommended that Congress and the administration continue do the same in its 2019 annual report.

“USCIRF is calling on Saudi Arabia to cease its mistreatment of Raif Badawi and to release him immediately,” said USCIRF Vice-Chair Nadine Maenza, who adopted Badawi as part of the Commission’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project. “Saudi Arabia has made Badawi’s family suffer for years by punishing him for peacefully expressing his beliefs. This crackdown directly contradicts the Saudi government’s official narrative of working toward greater modernization and improving religious freedom conditions.”

Badawi was the author of the Free Saudi Liberals blog where he wrote articles that peacefully challenged religious doctrine that the Saudi government espouses and enforces. In 2015, a Saudi court upheld against him a sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, 1000 whip lashes, and a one million riyal ($266,000) fine. In January 2015, Mr. Badawi received 50 lashes publicly outside a Jeddah mosque, but has not since faced further public whippings. Mr. Badawi suffers from chronic medical conditions and observers have expressed concern he is already in ill health.

During the 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, Vice President Michael R. Pence called for Badawi’s release. However, since 2006 the State Department has maintained a waiver for Saudi Arabia that prevents otherwise legislatively mandated action to which it would be subject as a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. USCIRF first recommended the waiver be lifted that same year.

“Americans should be outraged that Saudi Arabia continues to target peaceful thinkers like Raif Badawi on the basis of their beliefs,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Gayle Manchin. “The State Department should lift the waiver shielding Saudi Arabia from consequences mandated by U.S. law of these systematic violations of religious freedom.”

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

 

Gender: Male

Current Location: Abha Prison

Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia

Ethnic Group: Arab

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Second Appeal: Decreased to 8 Years' Imprisonment; First Appeal: Death

Sentence: Originally 4 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: January/1/2014

Date of Sentencing: February//2016

Date of Release: August/23/2022

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Apostasy Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Non-Belief

Nature of Charges: Apostasy

Ashraf Fayadh

Extra Bio Info:

Ashraf Fayadh was imprisoned for apostasy.

In August 2013, authorities arrested Fayadh, a Palestinian poet and artist living in Saudi Arabia, following an altercation with a man in Abha. The man reportedly told police that Fayadh had insulted Islam, the Prophet Mohamed, and Saudi Arabia, and promoted atheism through his poetry.  Shortly after, Fayadh was released.

On January 1, 2014, authorities arrested Fayadh again and accused him of "having illicit relations with women" and apostasy based on the 2013 arrest report.

In May 2014, the general court in Abha sentenced Fayadh to four years in prison and 800 lashes.

On November 17, 2015, Fayadh was resentenced to death. According to PEN America, his due process rights had been violated throughout the judicial proceedings.

In February 2016, Fayadh's death sentence was overturned on appeal.  He was instead sentenced to eight years in prison and 800 lashes. He also had to publicly repent for his alleged crimes. 

On August 23, 2022, Fayadh was released from prison, months after his sentence should have ended.

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): محمد بن حسن الحبيب

Gender: Male

Current Location: Mabahith Prison, Dammam

Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia

Ethnic Group: Arab

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment + 5 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: July/8/2016

Date of Sentencing: August/26/2019

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Civil Rights Work for Religious Communities Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Giving, Sharing, & Listening to a Religious Speech Online Activity Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role Religious Identity

Nature of Charges: Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Terrorism Treason & Sedition

Mohammad bin Hassan al-Habib

Extra Bio Info:

Mohammad bin Hassan al-Habib is imprisoned for his religious expression, leadership role, and religious freedom advocacy.

In July 2016, authorities detained al-Habib, a Shi'a cleric, as he tried to cross the Khafji Border Crossing into Kuwait. Authorities placed him in solitary confinement in Mabahith Prison in Dammam, held him incommunicado for four months, and denied him access to a lawyer. They charged him with violating a pledge he was forced to sign in 2012, which prohibited him from delivering sermons the government deemed objectionable—such as condemning religious hatred toward Shi'a Muslims and calling on the government to end sectarianism.

In July 2017, the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment for "sectarianism" and "calling people to sedition" under Royal Decree No. 44. In April 2018, authorities charged al-Habib with additional crimes, including “endeavoring to shake the societal fabric and national unity by supporting protests inciting riots in Al-Qatif Governorate,” “attempting to leave Saudi Arabia for Kuwait irregularly,” and “violating the Anti-Cybercrime Law.” One charge stemmed from a photograph of an executed Shi'a cleric found on an electronic device seized during a police raid of al-Habib's home in July 2016. In August 2019, authorities at the Specialized Criminal Court increased his sentence to 12 years' imprisonment, followed by a five-year travel ban for violating Article 6 of the Anti-Cybercrime Law.

Authorities tortured al-Habib in detention. They also mistreated him by repeatedly placing him in solitary confinement and denying him proper medical care, which has exacerbated his neurological and kidney ailments and put him at a severe risk of stroke.

Publicly Available Information:
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