The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament urge the Saudi authorities to put an end to the sentence of repeated flogging being served by Raif Badawi and to release him immediately and unconditionally.
S&D Group president Gianni Pittella said:
"The case of Raif Badawi constitutes a clear violation of respect for fundamental human rights.
"Unfortunately, Raif Badawi is in prison for exercising his right to freedom of expression and this is unacceptable and must be stopped immediately.
"We call on the Saudi government to respect all citizens' religious and political freedoms, and their civil and social rights."
Richard Howitt MEP, S&D foreign affairs co-ordinator, said:
"Each of the 1,000 lashes received by Raif Badawi is a human rights abuse – an abuse in which we must all feel the pain and we must all act.
"Raif's wife Ensaf has asked us to call for a pardon and at the same time for permission for him to leave the country and join their family. Today we do so.
"And when the European Union announced on Monday that it would be co-operating with Saudi Arabia on countering terrorism, we have to remember that the Saudis have called Raif a terrorist.
"If Europe's co-operation with Saudi Arabia is to mean anything, we have to use it to 'Free Raif'."
