Quebec woman's jailed Saudi husband faces whipping

Pressure is mounting on the Canadian government to intervene on behalf of a Quebec womans journalist husband who is facing 1,000 lashesin Saudi Arabia.

Raif Badawi has been in a Saudi jail since 2012 on charges that includeinsulting Islam, ridiculing religious authoritiesand setting up a liberal website.

The charges stem from an online forum curated by Badawicalled Saudi Arabian Liberals.

Badawi was initially sentenced to seven years in jail and 600 lashes.

An appeal saw Badawis case sent to the General Court in Jeddah, where a judge wanted to charge him with apostasywhich carries the death penalty.

Instead, the court increased Badawis sentence to 10 years, 1,000 lashes and a fine of one million Saudi riyals, or nearly $287,000.

He has until September to file an appeal of the increased sentence.

Badawis wife, Ensaf Haidar, and their three children fled Saudi Arabia for Lebanon because of threats to their safety prior to Badawis arrest.

She and her children came toCanada six months ago and now live in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Alex Neve, secretarygeneral of Amnesty International Canada, said Haidars arrival in Quebec has attracted Canadian interest in her husband, whom Neve calls a prisoner of conscience.

It gives us now a much stronger connection to the case and certainly has really motivated Amnesty activists, particularly in Quebec, Neve told CBC News.

So far, however, that interest is not moving the Canadian government to take stronger action in defence of Badawi, Neve said.

Meanwhile, Haidar says her husbands health has deteriorated in prison.

Neve said Amnesty International Canada wants Canada to put more pressure on Saudi authorities for Badawis release.