10 Years in Jail and 1,000 Lashes for “Insulting Islam”
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Happy video dancers sentenced to 91 lashes and jail
The sentences were suspended for three years, meaning they will not go to prison unless they reoffend, he adds.
The video shows three men and three unveiled women dancing on the streets and rooftops of Tehran.
In six months, it has been viewed by over one million people on YouTube.
The majority of people involved in the video were sentenced to six months in prison, with one member of the group given one year, lawyer Farshid Rofugaran was quoted by Iran Wire as saying.
The "Happy we are from Tehran" video was brought to the attention of the Iranian authorities in May, after receiving more than 150,000 views.
Members of the group behind the video were subsequently arrested by Iranian police for violating Islamic laws of the country, which prohibit dancing with members of the opposite sex and women from appearing without a headscarf.
They later appeared on state-run TV saying they were actors who had been tricked into make the Happy video for an audition.
The arrests drew condemnation from international rights groups and sparked a social media campaign calling for their release.
Iran: Happy video dancers sentenced to 91 lashes and jail - BBC News
The sentences were suspended for three years, meaning they will not go to prison unless they reoffend, he adds.
The video shows three men and three unveiled women dancing on the streets and rooftops of Tehran.
In six months, it has been viewed by over one million people on YouTube.
The majority of people involved in the video were sentenced to six months in prison, with one member of the group given one year, lawyer Farshid Rofugaran was quoted by Iran Wire as saying.
The "Happy we are from Tehran" video was brought to the attention of the Iranian authorities in May, after receiving more than 150,000 views.
Members of the group behind the video were subsequently arrested by Iranian police for violating Islamic laws of the country, which prohibit dancing with members of the opposite sex and women from appearing without a headscarf.
They later appeared on state-run TV saying they were actors who had been tricked into make the Happy video for an audition.
The arrests drew condemnation from international rights groups and sparked a social media campaign calling for their release.
Iran: Happy video dancers sentenced to 91 lashes and jail - BBC News
Ottawa says it won’t grant imprisoned Saudi blogger Canadian citizenship
The Trudeau government says it won’t grant imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi Canadian citizenship, arguing this would not help the case of a man sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail for blasphemy.
Mr. Badawi’s spouse and their three children were granted sanctuary in Canada last year and now live in Sherbrooke, Que. Ensaf Haidar, speaking to The Globe and Mail last week, said Canada must do more to help her husband and said “the first thing” it could do now is give Mr. Badawi a Canadian passport.
She argued Canadian citizenship would give Ottawa more standing to push for his release.
Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion disagrees. Speaking after a cabinet retreat in southwestern New Brunswick Tuesday, he said he doesn’t believe Canadian citizenship would improve Mr. Badawi’s situation.
“As a way to release him, it may not be very helpful because Saudi Arabia does not recognize dual citizenship,” he said.
“We don’t think this would be an additional reason for them to consider to release him.”
Mr. Dion said the government of Quebec has pledged to give Mr. Badawi sanctuary if he is set free.
Granting Ms. Haidar’s request could complicate Canada’s relations with Saudi Arabia and jeopardize a $15-billion deal to sell weaponized armoured vehicles to Riyadh over 14 years.
Critics of the business transaction have cited Riyadh’s treatment of Mr. Badawi, and the mass execution this year that included a popular dissident Muslim cleric, as examples of why Ottawa should not broker and condone a massive arms sale to Saudi Arabia.
Canadian citizenship could give Canada more leverage to keep tabs on Mr. Badawi.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper used to say that Canada’s influence in Mr. Badawi’s case was limited because the writer was not a Canadian citizen.
Ms. Haidar said last week that an international campaign to free her husband has “given a lot of emotional and psychological support” and demonstrated that “the world is on our side”
But, she added, it has not yielded concrete results. “No real change has happened.”
Alex Neve, secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada, has said a Canadian passport could help.
“Amnesty International continues to urge the Canadian government to explore all possible strategies for securing Mr. Badawi’s release, allowing him to reunite with his family in Canada. A grant of citizenship, further to his wife Ensaf Haidar’s request, could boost the effectiveness of Canada’s pleas on his behalf.”
Ms. Haidar, who met with Mr. Trudeau last year, months before the election campaign that vaulted him to power, said Saudi officials recently cut off all communications between her and Mr. Badawi after they moved him to a new prison.
Ottawa says it won’t grant imprisoned Saudi blogger Canadian citizenship - The Globe and Mail
The Trudeau government says it won’t grant imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi Canadian citizenship, arguing this would not help the case of a man sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail for blasphemy.
Mr. Badawi’s spouse and their three children were granted sanctuary in Canada last year and now live in Sherbrooke, Que. Ensaf Haidar, speaking to The Globe and Mail last week, said Canada must do more to help her husband and said “the first thing” it could do now is give Mr. Badawi a Canadian passport.
She argued Canadian citizenship would give Ottawa more standing to push for his release.
Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion disagrees. Speaking after a cabinet retreat in southwestern New Brunswick Tuesday, he said he doesn’t believe Canadian citizenship would improve Mr. Badawi’s situation.
“As a way to release him, it may not be very helpful because Saudi Arabia does not recognize dual citizenship,” he said.
“We don’t think this would be an additional reason for them to consider to release him.”
Mr. Dion said the government of Quebec has pledged to give Mr. Badawi sanctuary if he is set free.
Granting Ms. Haidar’s request could complicate Canada’s relations with Saudi Arabia and jeopardize a $15-billion deal to sell weaponized armoured vehicles to Riyadh over 14 years.
Critics of the business transaction have cited Riyadh’s treatment of Mr. Badawi, and the mass execution this year that included a popular dissident Muslim cleric, as examples of why Ottawa should not broker and condone a massive arms sale to Saudi Arabia.
Canadian citizenship could give Canada more leverage to keep tabs on Mr. Badawi.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper used to say that Canada’s influence in Mr. Badawi’s case was limited because the writer was not a Canadian citizen.
Ms. Haidar said last week that an international campaign to free her husband has “given a lot of emotional and psychological support” and demonstrated that “the world is on our side”
But, she added, it has not yielded concrete results. “No real change has happened.”
Alex Neve, secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada, has said a Canadian passport could help.
“Amnesty International continues to urge the Canadian government to explore all possible strategies for securing Mr. Badawi’s release, allowing him to reunite with his family in Canada. A grant of citizenship, further to his wife Ensaf Haidar’s request, could boost the effectiveness of Canada’s pleas on his behalf.”
Ms. Haidar, who met with Mr. Trudeau last year, months before the election campaign that vaulted him to power, said Saudi officials recently cut off all communications between her and Mr. Badawi after they moved him to a new prison.
Ottawa says it won’t grant imprisoned Saudi blogger Canadian citizenship - The Globe and Mail
Saudi blogger Raif Badawi to be given more lashes in prison
The Saudi government will apparently resume the lashing punishment against blogger Raif Badawi.
In a statement, the Raif Badawi Foundation said it had received the confirmation from the same source that had notified his family and associates about the first set of 50 lashes, which were served on January 9, 2015. The foundation did not specify who the source was.
In contrast to the first round of punishment, which was performed in a public place, the next lashing was reportedly due to be carried out inside prison. Following injuries after his first flogging, Badawi's remaining 950 lashes had to be postponed indefinitely.
The foundation said it had called on the Saudi government and royal family to intervene and stop the punishment. It has also asked the government to pardon Badawi and to deprive him of his Saudi citizenship, so he could be reunited with his family, who reside in Canada where they were granted asylum.
The announcement comes ahead of the Frankfurt Book Fair, where the Raif Badawi Foundation is expected to give a journalism award to a radio station based in northern Iraq.
NWE radio for refugees has been hailed for its efforts to broadcast news, with information in three languages for internally displaced Iraqis fleeing from the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) movement.
Saudi blogger Raif Badawi to be given more lashes in prison | News | DW.COM | 18.10.2016
The Saudi government will apparently resume the lashing punishment against blogger Raif Badawi.
In a statement, the Raif Badawi Foundation said it had received the confirmation from the same source that had notified his family and associates about the first set of 50 lashes, which were served on January 9, 2015. The foundation did not specify who the source was.
In contrast to the first round of punishment, which was performed in a public place, the next lashing was reportedly due to be carried out inside prison. Following injuries after his first flogging, Badawi's remaining 950 lashes had to be postponed indefinitely.
The foundation said it had called on the Saudi government and royal family to intervene and stop the punishment. It has also asked the government to pardon Badawi and to deprive him of his Saudi citizenship, so he could be reunited with his family, who reside in Canada where they were granted asylum.
The announcement comes ahead of the Frankfurt Book Fair, where the Raif Badawi Foundation is expected to give a journalism award to a radio station based in northern Iraq.
NWE radio for refugees has been hailed for its efforts to broadcast news, with information in three languages for internally displaced Iraqis fleeing from the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) movement.
Saudi blogger Raif Badawi to be given more lashes in prison | News | DW.COM | 18.10.2016
