The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Amnesty International will hold a joint protest outside the Saudi Arabian Embassy on Fitzwilliam Square East, in Dublin this evening (Thursday, 22nd January) at 6.00 p.m. to highlight the inhumane and degrading treatment of blogger Raif Badawi.

The blogger was sentenced to 1,000 lashes over 20 weeks and 10 years in prison for setting up the website 'Saudi Arabian Liberals'.

Badawi received his first flogging of 50 lashes on Friday, 9th January. The second flogging, due to take place last Friday, was postponed after a medical examiner concluded that his wounds had not healed properly and that he would not be able to withstand another round of lashes at that time.

Irish NUJ Secretary, Séamus Dooley, said the event was an opportunity to  express solidarity with Raif and other journalists, bloggers and those who are denied their freedom of speech,

He added: “The treatment of Raif Badwai is an outrage, an affront to human decency but it has not occurred in isolation.