Raif Badawi weekly flogging delayed for 7th week in a row

Raif Badawi, the Saudi blogger jailed for criticizing Islam, has had his weekly lashes delayed for a seventh time. 

Badawi was arrested in June 2012 after criticizing the Saudi regime and expressing views critical of Islam on his blog.

He was eventually sentenced in May 2014 to 10 years in jail and 1,000 lashes, to be delivered in batches of 50 every week.

He was flogged for the first time on Jan. 9. However, the next seven flogging sessions were postponed. At least two of the postponements were due to medical reasons, but no reasons were given for subsequent delays.

Badawi is a 32-year-old blogger and activist. His wife Ensaf Haidar and their three children are refugees living inSherbrooke, Que.

Earlier this week, theCity of Montreal passed a motion condemning Badawi's treatmentand called on the Canadian government to come to his aid.

Amnesty International is calling for Badawi's sentence to be quashed and for him to be released immediately and unconditionally so he can join his family in Canada.