Any environment repugnant to mankind soon turns into sheer hell.
Saudi Arabia, the country of one million clerics, is the only country that prevents women from driving.
It is the only country that oppresses freedoms in the name of religion.
It rules in the name of Islamic Sharia, which clearly prescribes death to anyone who leaves the religion.
Ladies and gentlemen, my husband Raif Badawi was imprisoned merely for expressing his opinion.
His adopting liberalism was reason enough for the Saudi Inquisition courts to consider him a criminal, worthy of 10 years in prison, and 1,000 barbaric lashes.
The Islamic Inquisition courts, which disappeared when Islamic fascism was eradicated, have now returned during the era of the interfaith dialogue sponsor.
The Saudi King spends hundreds of millions of dollars to improve Saudi Arabia’s image abroad.
Ladies and gentlemen, Raif Badawi won the Humanity Award from PEN Canada last October. Less than a month later, he won the Reporters Without Borders Netizen Award.
In January, he won the Aikenhead Award from the Scottish Secular Society. I was extremely happy to learn that Raif won your distinguished organization’s award, for your tireless protection of human rights.
I tell you, in all honesty, that I am still astounded to this moment over the prize awarded to my husband Raif.
This prize bears a clear message to the Saudi regime, namely that the continued incarceration of Raif is a shame on it, especially considering its war on terror and against the terror group known as the Islamic State.
I would like to thank each of you individually, and wish I could be with you on this wonderful day. My only consolation is that Dr. Elham Manea, who is loved by both myself and Raif, will receive the prize on behalf of Raif.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you from the bottom of our heart.
Here she is:
