Letter do High Representative on Raif Badawi

SUBJECT: The case of Raif Badawi and other prisoners of conscience in Saudi          Arabia

Madam High Representative,

We are again writing to you regarding the case of Raif Badawi, Saudi prisoner of conscience, currently held in detention by the Saudi authorities, after having been convicted by the Criminal Court of Jeddah. We remain deeply concerned about the possible developments in his case. We have been informed by multiple sources that Mr. Badawi may be subjected again in the near future to a new trial, this time for apostasy, and that he faces, if found guilty by the Criminal Court, the risk of being convicted to the death penalty.

We, therefore, urge you to employ all your best efforts to call on the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the release of Raif Badawi, his lawyer Walled Abulkhair who is also imprisoned and of all other prisoners of conscience. Raif Badawi’s alleged crime was to use his freedom of expression, which is an international human right that Saudi Arabia is bound to respect.

We understand that Saudi Arabia is deemed an important partner to the European Union, both individually and in the context of EU’s relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council. Nevertheless, we strongly believe that engagement with third countries must be based on the upholding of international law, namely, international human rights law, and Saudi Arabia is no exception to that. The moment has come, especially now with a new Saudi leadership, for the EU to send a clear message to the Saudi authorities demanding that it respects, protects and fulfills international human rights, releases all prisoners of conscience and revoke all institutionalized practices that actively infringe fundamental freedoms in the Kingdom.

We trust that a public statement from you, as High Representative, will deliver a strong and clear message to the Saudi King as the EU will not tolerate international law violations and abhorrent inhuman practices, such as beatings and torture, from its partners silently. The lack of respect for international human rights must bear consequences for the engagement with the European Union. Indeed, in this respect, it is our own responsibility and credibility that are at stake, for not denouncing human rights violations the EU may be indirectly harming the principle of universality of human rights.

Sincerely,

Agnes Jongerius, MEP

Alfred Sant, MEP

Ana Gomes, MEP

Angelika Mlinar, MEP

Angelika Niebler, MEP

Anne-Marie Mineur, MEP

Annie Schreijer-Pierik, MEP

António Marinho e Pinto, MEP

Barbara Lochbihler, MEP

Barbara Spinelli, MEP

Bart Staes, MEP

Beatriz Becerra, MEP

Brando Benifei, MEP

Carlos Coelho, MEP

Carlos Zorrinho, MEP

Charles Tannock, MEP

Christel Schaldemose, MEP

Christine Revault d’Allonnes Bonnefoy, MEP

Demetris Papadakis, MEP

Dennis de Jong, MEP

Elisa Ferreira, MEP

Elena Valenciano, MEP

Eric Andrieu, MEP

Esther de Lange, MEP

Evelyne Gebhardt, MEP

Fabio de Masi, MEP

Fernando Maura Barandiarán, MEP

Fredrick Federley, MEP

Gérard Deprez, MEP

Hans-Olaf Henkel, MEP

Ignazio Corrao, MEP

Igor Šoltes, MEP

Ilhan Kyuchyuk, MEP

Ivo Vajgl, MEP

Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, MEP

Jana Žitnanská, MEP

Jaromír Štětina, MEP

Javier Nart, MEP

Jean Lambert, MEP

Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, MEP

Jeppe Kofod, MEP

Jeroen Lenaers, MEP

José Inácio Faria, MEP

Jude Kirton-Darling, MEP

Julie Ward, MEP

Keith Taylor, MEP

Kostas Chrysogonos, MEP

Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP

Liliana Rodrigues, MEP

Margrete Auken, MEP

Marie-Christine Vergiat, MEP

Marietje Schaake, MEP

Marita Ulvskog, MEP

Mark Demesmaeker, MEP

Martina Dlabajová, MEP

Mary Honeyball, MEP

Michael Gahler, MEP

Michel Reimon, MEP

Michèle Rivasi, MEP

Milan Zver, MEP

Molly Scott Cato, MEP

Norbert Neuser, MEP

Ole Christensen, MEP

Pál Csáky, MEP

Pascal Durand, MEP

Pavel Telička, MEP

Péter Niedermüller, MEP

Philippe Lamberts, MEP

Ricardo Serrão Santos, MEP

Richard Howitt, MEP

Robert Rochefort, MEP

Seb Dance, MEP

Soraya Post, MEP

Stefan Eck, MEP

Tanja Fajon, MEP

Theresa Griffin, MEP

Tonino Picula, MEP

Ulrike Lunacek, MEP

Wim van de Camp, MEP

Тази публикация е достъпна и на следните езици: Bulgarian