Wednesday, November 25, 2015

This is the week: Help free Raif

This is the week:
Help free Raif
 
This was sent to me on May 5, 2015


Dear Tracy,

There are only two more days left until Amnesty activists mobilize outside of Saudi embassies around the world to demand the release of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi.

Raif was imprisoned and publicly flogged by the Saudi government - lashed 50 times - for starting a blog that encouraged social and political debate. Right now, he's in a cell serving the remainder of his 10-year sentence and awaiting 950 more lashes.

Amnesty and other global partners are planning a mass mobilization outside Saudi embassies around the world this Thursday, on the first anniversary of Raif's sentencing. Please support our efforts on behalf of Prisoners of Conscience like Raif with a financial contribution.

We believe that the global outcry has been key to sparing Raif from the weekly floggings mandated by his sentence. But until Raif is unconditionally freed, our work is far from over.

We are gravely concerned that the Saudi government is waiting for the international spotlight to fade and is considering trying Raif for apostasy, which carries the death sentence.

That's why we're planning this event. We must show the Saudi government that the world is still watching and won't stand for anything but Raif's unconditional release.

Please donate to support our efforts. Your support makes a difference:

  • $25 can help print banners and signs for activist events on May 7.
  • $50 can help Amnesty pay for digital advertising that asks people to put pressure on the Saudi Embassy in DC.
  • $75 can help us mobilize activists to generate more letters, calls and emails to the Saudi Embassy in DC.
  • $250 can support a human rights expert who will apply "grasstops" pressure on Saudi authorities.
The more support we amass, the more pressure we can apply to demand Raif's release. Please help us maximize this moment. Support our efforts.

Let's free Raif once and for all!

With hope for justice,

Jasmine Heiss
Senior Campaigner, Individuals at Risk
Amnesty International USA

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