Freedom from Torture statement on the case of Ashraf Fayadh

Freedom from Torture, the UK-based human rights organisation, has condemned the punishment of flogging faced by Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Fayadh’s crime under Saudi Law was apostasy, including claims of promoting atheism and insulting Islam, as expressed in his 2008 poetry collection, Instructions Within. In 2013 he was detained and sentenced to 800 lashes and eight years imprisonment, but a court later imposed a death sentence. This has now been overturned and the original sentence reinstated. The lashes are to be delivered in instalments of 50.

Dr Juliet Cohen, Head of Doctors at Freedom from Torture, said:

“We condemn this cruel punishment and urge the Saudi authorities not to flog Mr Fayadh.

Although flogging can take several forms, it is always cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The more blows are inflicted on top of one another, the more chance of open wounds being caused. They are likely to be more painful and at risk of infection, which will cause further pain over a prolonged period as infection delays the wounds' healing. A further session of 50 lashes before the first have completely healed would risk reopening wounds, increasing the risk of infection.

A year ago we protested against the flogging of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1,000 lashes, to be delivered over successive weeks. After the first 50 lashes, the medical consequences were so evident (Mr Badawi is a diabetic) that further flogging has not taken place, although he remains imprisoned and his medical condition is still a cause for concern.  

In October we made a similar plea for British citizen Karl Andree to be spared flogging. In his case, there were also medical implications, namely that he was in his seventies and was recovering from cancer. Thankfully he was later released, without being flogged. We hope that Mr Fayadh will also be spared this dreadful punishment.”