Brussels, 16/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - Ensaf Haidar, the wife of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, , received the Sakharov Prize for Human Rights 2015 on Wednesday 16 December on behalf of her husband, who's been imprisoned for insulting the values of Islam on his website of social, political and religious debate. At the prize-giving ceremony, with a portrait of her husband in her hands, Haidar received a long applause.
Raid Badawi's “crime” was to be a free voice in a country of pensée unique, explained his wife in her speech to the plenary, saying she was proud of him for having the courage to speak out and say no to their barbarism, which is why they flogged him. Haidar said that the ideology of some Arab countries considers free and enlightened thought to be blasphemy. Any free thought is considered decadent and straying from the true path. Saudi society is under the yoke of a theocratic regime that requires people to be yes-men. She ended her speech by quoting her husband: “To those who want death, we wish life. To those who want us to remain ignorant, we want them to return to reason.”
In a hearing on Monday at the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, Haidar said that the Sakharov Prize gave her hope that it was a first step towards her husband's release. She said the prize was the biggest step towards Raif's release.
In plenary, the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, again called on King Salman to grant Badawi a reprieve and release him immediately and unconditionally. Schulz said Raif Badawi had become a symbol and a source of inspiration for everyone fighting for fundamental rights in the region and beyond. Schulz praised the courage and determination of Ensaf Haidar, who had to flee to Canada.
Saudi blogger activist Raif Badawi has been sentenced to ten years in prison, 1,000 lashes and a heavy fine. He has been in prison since 2012. He was officially awarded the Sakharov Prize on 29 October (see EUROPE 11421). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)