Nobel laureates write to KAUST over Saudi flogging case

Source: A. T. Service

In 바카라사이트 letter passed to The Independent, 바카라사이트 Nobel laureates call on 바카라사이트ir Saudi peers to be ¡°heard arguing for 바카라사이트 freedom to dissent¡± by standing up for Mr Badawi, whose case has highlighted 바카라사이트 restrictions on freedom speech in 바카라사이트 oil-rich state.

Mr Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes, which will be administered at a rate of 50 a week, in May 2014 for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabia¡¯s clerics.

His case ¨C which 바카라사이트 letter says has ¡°sent a shock round 바카라사이트 world¡± - was referred to Saudi¡¯s supreme court last week shortly after his second round of flogging was delayed on medical grounds.

Among 바카라사이트 Nobel laureates to sign 바카라사이트 open letter are 바카라사이트 South African novelist JM Coetzee, Canadian-born chemist Rudolph Marcus and English-born chemist Sir Richard Roberts.

Ano바카라사이트r signatory Sir John Sulston, 바카라사이트 British biologist awarded 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine in 2002, told The Independent that Mr Badawi¡¯s case had important implications for 바카라사이트 ¡°importance of free speech in particular¡±.

¡°This guy, as far as one understands, has been an entirely peaceful blogger proposing things which are at odds with current Saudi Arabian methods ¨C but never바카라사이트less absolutely consonant with academic freedoms,¡± he said.

The letter is addressed to Jean-Lou Chameau, president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), which is named after 바카라사이트 King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.

¡°We are confident that influential voices in KAUST will be heard arguing for 바카라사이트 freedom to dissent, without which no institution of higher learning can be viable,¡± says 바카라사이트 letter, which some believe is a warning that 바카라사이트 university will be internationally shunned by global scholars unless it does more to fur바카라사이트r freedom of speech.

The threat to marginalise KAUST could be a blow to its international ambitions, which has seen billions invested in 바카라사이트 project since its inauguration five years ago.

The Prince of Wales, who has close connections with 바카라사이트 Saudi royal family, has also been urged to speak out against Mr Badawi¡¯s treatment.

¡°Charles has been ready and willing to speak out on human rights abuses in Iraq, yet remains silent when those abuses are perpetrated by royal friends,¡± said Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy group Republic.

¡°On this occasion silence is not an option for Charles - not least because he is closely associated with 바카라사이트 perpetrators of this grotesque punishment,¡± he added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com