Saudi Activist Sentenced To 7 Years and 600 Lashes For Insulting Islam

Human Rights Watch reports that on July 29 a Saudi Arabian court sentenced blogger Raif Badawi to 600 lashes and 7 years in prison for insulting Islam through his website and in comments he made on television. Three months was added for "parental disobedience." The court also ordered his website closed. An apostasy charge against Badawi was dropped after he affirmed to the court that he is a Muslim and recited the Shehadeh. Badawi, who created his Free Saudi Liberals website in 2008 to encourage debate on religious and political matters in Saudi Arabia, has been detained since June 2012.