Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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119. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the case of a person (details supplied), an imprisoned Saudi Arabian blogger and activist, who has been handed a sentence of 1,000 lashes and ten years in prison for insulting Islam; if he agrees this is an extremely cruel, inhuman and unjust sentence for starting an Internet discussion group and that the right to freedom of expression should be respected; if he is aware that this person's lawyer, who is also a human rights activist, is still in jail; and if he will raise the case with his Saudi Arabian counterpart. [28360/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the cases raised.

I share the Deputy's serious ongoing concern about this case. My concern is both about the conviction for activities which would be widely regarded here as the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the nature of the sentence, which included corporal punishment.

Concerns about both of these cases have been raised by the European Union on behalf of its Member States, including Ireland, with the Saudi authorities. They have also been conveyed directly to representatives of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia by my Department, most recently in June of this year.

The spokesperson of EU High Representative Mogherini issued a statement on this case in January 2015. This called on the Saudi authorities to suspend the flogging of this individual, a call which was echoed later in January by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein.

I have repeatedly expressed my hope that the Saudi Authorities will answer the High Commissioner's call for this individual to be pardoned and for this harsh form of punishment to be urgently reviewed. While the flogging of this individual has thankfully not recommenced, the reports in June that his punishment has been confirmed by the Supreme Court are worrying. It remains my hope that both individuals will be pardoned.