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Raif Badawi, the Saudi Arabian blogger whose punishment of 1,000 lashes has prompted international condemnation, may now face the death penalty.
Mr Badawi’s wife, Ensaf Haidar, told The Independent in a series of messages that judges in Saudi Arabia’s criminal court want him to undergo a re-trial for apostasy. If found guilty, he would face a death sentence.
The news that the charge may now be re-examined will come as a bitter blow to Mr Badawi’s family and supporters, who had hoped that the international pressure over his case would prompt Saudi Arabia to reduce his sentence.
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protestsShow all 15 1 /15In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests People take part in a protest by Amnesty International, for the immediate release of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi in Helvetiaplatz, Berne, Switzerland
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests People take part in a protest by Amnesty International, for the immediate release of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi in London, UK
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests Ensaf Haider speaks during a protest by Amnesty International, for the immediate release of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi in Ottawa, Canada
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests People take part in a protest by Amnesty International, for the immediate release of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi in Warsaw, Poland
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests A poster depicting Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, asking for his immediate release, hangs on a gate of a building in Italy
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests People take part in a protest by Amnesty International, for the immediate release of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi in Paris, France
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests People take part in a protest by Amnesty International, for the immediate release of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi in Brussels, Belgium
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests People take part in a protest by Amnesty International, for the immediate release of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi
AFP
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests Ensaf Haidar, centre, wife of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, holds a vigil in Montreal, Quebec, urging Saudi Arabia to free her husband
Getty
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests Participant of the Amnesty International protest holds a banner which reads: 'Je suis Raif!' in front of the Saudi Embassy, The Hague, The Netherlands
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests People take part in a protest by Amnesty International, for the immediate release of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, in front of the Saudi Embassy in The Hague
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests A participant attends the Amnesty International protest demanding the immediate release of Saudi blogger, Raif Badawi, in front of the Saudi Embassy, The Hague, The Netherlands
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests Amnesty International stages a protest demanding the immediate release of Saudi blogger, Raif Badawi, in front of the Saudi Embassy, The Hague, The Netherlands
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests Protesters simulate a flogging in front of the Saudi embassy in Washington, during a demonstration against the 10-year prison sentence and 1,000 lashes of Saudi activist Raef Badawi for 'insulting Islam' in a blogpost
In pictures: Raif Badawi release protests Raif Badawi release protests Protesters simulate a flogging in front of the Saudi embassy in Washington, during a demonstration against the 10-year prison sentence and 1,000 lashes of Saudi activist Raef Badawi for 'insulting Islam' in a blogpost
Although he remains in prison, he has only been flogged once since his sentence was passed, with subsequent punishments being repeatedly postponed.
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