Saudi Activist Asks New Crown Prince to Release Her Husband From Prison

 
Ensaf Haidar, a Saudi human rights activist, has personally asked the newly appointed crown prince Mohammad bin Salman to release her husband Raif Badawi from Prison.

Badawi is a Saudi blogger and writer, who has now been in prison for over 5 years

In an interview with Newsweek, Haidar asked Mohammad bin Salman to "write a new history," by releasing prisoners of conscience. 

"I am respectfully calling on his Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to write a new history in our country and a process of national reconciliation with Saudi prisoners of conscience," Haidar told Newsweek.

"With full respect, my children and I are hoping that Prince Mohammad bin Salman will release my husband Raif Badawi and allow him to reunite with us in Canada," she added.

Badawi was arrested in 2012 for "insulting Islam through electronic channels," which he did via his website Free Saudi Liberals. In 2014 he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes after being charged for arguing for greater freedom of speech in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the secularization of the government.

Since then Haidar has run the social media campaign #FreeRaif to raise awareness of her husband imprisonment and gain the world’s attention.