"A Saudi court on Monday referred a rights activist to a higher
court for alleged apostasy, a charge that could lead to the death penalty in the
ultra-conservative kingdom, activists said. A judge at a lower court referred
Raef Badawi to a higher court, declaring that he "could not give a verdict in a
case of apostasy," a rights activist told AFP.
Badawi, who was arrested a June in the Red Sea city of Jeddah for
unknown reasons, is a co-founder of the Saudi Liberal Network with female rights
activist Suad al-Shammari and others. The network had announced May 7 a "day of
liberalism" in the Muslim kingdom, calling for an end to the influence of
religion on public life in Saudi Arabia." (thanks Basim)
