The Flogging of Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi May Be Over

Saudi blogger Raif Badawi (below) is only 50 lashes into his 1,000-lashes punishment for the “crime” of “insulting Islam.” But there’s reason to believe he won’t receive any more and that his prison sentence will be drastically reduced.

According to German news sources, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Germany Ossama bin Abdul Majed Shobokshi says that the punishment may be over.

This is still premature. Amnesty International has not yet confirmed this; their last statement on Badawi was that his second set of lashes, set for this morning, would be postponed for a second week in a row on health grounds.

But I hope the German sources are accurate.

(Thanks to Richard for the link and Ezekiel and Michael for the translation help)