A Jeddah Criminal Court in Saudi Arabia sentenced blogger Raif Badawi to seven years in prison and 600 lashes for violating the nation's anti-cybercrime law, Human Rights Watch reported on Wednesday, CNN reported.
Badawi, who has been in prison since June 2012, was found guilty this week of insulting Islam on his web site and on television.
"This incredibly harsh sentence for a peaceful blogger makes a mockery of Saudi Arabia's claims that it supports reform and religious dialogue," said Nadim Houry, the deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "A man who wanted to discuss religion has already been locked up for a year and now faces 600 lashes and seven years in prison."
The court is expected to send Badawi a written notification by August 6, and his legal team will be given 30 days to appeal, CNN also reported.
Badawi's wife was hurt by the news, saying she does not know what to do: "Raif did nothing wrong," she said.
""You feel like everybody's accusing you. Like everybody's against you, at war with you."
Badawi started the Free Saudi Liberals website in 2008, and was detained one day and questioned about it soon there after. Clerics called him an apostate.
Human Rights Watch has been seeking his release since last year: "Saudi authorities should drop charges and release the editor of the Free Saudi Liberals website for violating his right to freedom of expression on matters of religion and religious figures," a statement from the group said.
Saudi authorities have been accused by rights groups, including Amnesty International, for targeting activists through travel bans and with the courts.
Two prominent Saudi reformists Mohammad Al-Qahtani and Abdullah Al-Hamid were sentenced in March for 10 years each.
A Facebook page devoted to Free Raif Badawi has been set up. Its mission says it is devoted to Badawi's release. [He] has been detained since 17 June 2012 in a prison in Briman, in Jeddah. He is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for peacefully exercising his right to speak."
