Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was publically flogged in Saudi Arabia, for insulting Islam. According to Amnesty International, Badawi was subjected to 50 lashes, in public, before the praying Muslims in front of a mosque. For the next 19 weeks, he will be subject to 50 lashes a week…

The 30 year-old blogged was sentenced on November 5th, because he allegedly challenged the country’s authority, through the -now forbidden- “Liberal Saudi Network”, which he had founded.

On Thursday, the US appealed to Saudi Arabia to set aside the penalty of 1000 floggings inflicted on the Saudi activist and advocate of journalism. Badawi’s wife had fled to Canada with her three children and informed the international organization Reporters Without Borders.