Saudi activist Mr. Raef Badawi was submitted to public lashing today in Jeddah, as part of the sentence condemning him to 10 years of imprisonment and 1000 lashes last September.

Corporal punishment is unacceptable and contrary to human dignity. As we recently commemorated the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatments or punishments, the EU reiterates its strong objection to any such treatment or punishment.

The process of judicial reform undertaken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia opens the possibility for improved protection of individual rights. In this context the EU calls on the Saudi authorities to suspend any further corporal punishment for Mr Badawi and to consider, in the context of the reform, putting an end to the use of lashing, a punishment that is not in conformity with the relevant international conventions on human rights, including the Convention against Torture, which Saudi Arabia has ratified.