Invitation to the Media - Raif Badawi case - Lawyers Without Borders and Barreau du Québec join forces to take action

MONTRÉAL, March 11, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Lawyers Without Borders Canada (LWBC) and the Barreau du Québec are inviting media representatives to a press conference to inform them of their joint initiative to take legal action in the case involving Raif Badawi.

Raif Badawi is a writer, blogger and creator of the website Liberal Saudi Network. In 2014, he was honoured with the Reporters Without Borders (RWB) award for freedom of the press. In November, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes on a charge of insulting religious values and blasphemy. The first 50 were administered earlier this year, on January 9, and the next ones have been postponed, particularly due to health reasons.

Deeply concerned over this situation and sensitive to the fact that Mr. Badawi's wife and children have found refuge in Québec, Lawyers Without Borders Canada and the Barreau du Québec are joining forces to make their legal contribution to this case.

At the press conference table: Mtre Pascal Paradis, Ad. E., Executive Director of Lawyers Without Borders Canada, and Mtre Bernard Synnott, President of the Barreau du Québec. These representatives of the two organizations will be unveiling the actions they plan on taking in this case. Ensaf Haidar, Raif Badawi's wife, will also be attending this press conference.

Subject:	Raif Badawi case
Date:	Thursday, March 12, 2015
Time:	9:30 a.m.
Location:	Hotel Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile
	Paloma Room
	1155 rue Sherbrooke Ouest
	Montréal, Québec

SOURCE Barreau du Québec

For interviews and information: France Gaignard, Public Relations Officer, 514 616-7705, [email protected]; Martine Meilleur, Coordinator, Barreau du Québec - Communications, 514 954-3489 or 514 831-7811, [email protected]