Ashraf Fayadh, a 35 year old Palestinian poet and artist has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for ‘apostasy’.   This apparently means writing poetry that someone in authority considers anti-Islam.

On their website, Amnesty International say,

“Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s most prolific executioners, and began the new year with an execution spree.

In a dark day for rights, on 2 January authorities there executed 47 people in one day. Some of the deceased had, like Ashraf, not had fair trials before they were imprisoned and sentenced to death.

As Saudi Arabian authorities continue their human rights crackdown, it’s vital that we stand up to the rights' abusers and use our free speech to speak for Ashraf, facing death simply because of the content of his poetry.”

Amnesty  has organized a petition to have Ashraf freed.   It can be signed here.

http://webmail.amnesty.org.uk/interface/external_view_email.php?J918324028381692122434746312715