Raif Badawi's case raised by Stphane Dion with Saudi counterpart

Foreign Affairs Minister Stphane Dion says he conveyed Canada's desire to see clemency granted to jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi when he met with his Saudi Arabian counterpart in Ottawa Thursday.

Badawi, whose wife and three children live in Canada,was sentenced to 10 years in jail and 1,000 lashes after he wasfoundguilty in Januaryof insulting Islam on hisblog.Thepunishment was suspended afterBadawireceived thefirst50 lashesbut he remainsbehind bars.

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Dion said he discussedwithAdelAlJubeir,Saudi Arabia's minister of foreign affairs,"Canada's concerns with the state of human rights in the kingdom," including the case of Badawi, whose wife and three children were granted asylum in Canada.

"I expressed the government's hope that clemency will be granted in this case," saidDion in a written statement.

Hisstatementcomes a day after Badawi's wife, Ensaf Haidar, accepted on behalfof her husbandthe European Union's prestigious Sakharov Prize at a ceremony inStrasbourg, France.

Badawireceivedthe Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, awarded yearly by the European Parliament to honour individuals and organizations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Dion said he also welcomedthe recent local elections in Saudi Arabia in which at least 19 women were elected.

No 'immediate plans' to intervene:Trudeau

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was not yet prepared to intervene personallyin Badawi's case, preferring to leave the matter to Dion.

"It's not in my immediate plans,"Trudeausaid in a year-endinterview with The Canadian Press.

"It's a humanitarian case on which we continue to express ourselves in a clear fashion."

Trudeau's remarks came despite the fact that when he was opposition leader some of his MPs, including Dion, called on thenprime minister Stephen Harper to personally ask the Saudi king to release Badawi.

Haidarhas asked Trudeau to take up her husband's case so he can join his family in Canada.

Trudeau alluded to his meeting with Haidar during Wednesday's interview, saying he told her clearly that the Liberals would continue to pressure the Saudi government to free Badawi.

'Robust' trade with Saudi Arabia

Dion said his meeting with theSaudi ministerhelped strengthen the relationship between the two countries, whichshare several interests, includingtrade.

I look forward to continuing to build on this important relationship,including our robust two-way trade-Stphane Dion, foreign affairs minister

"Engaging with our international partners serves Canadian interests and I look forward to continuing to build on this important relationship, including our robust two-way trade," said Dionon Thursday.

A $15-billion contract to sell armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia thrustCanadianSaudirelationsunder the spotlight during the recent federal election.

Harper was forced to defend the contract, saying that "notwithstanding its human rights violations,"Saudi Arabia was not just a trading partner but also anally in thefightagainst ISIS.

Trudeau has said he will not cancel the multimillion contract with the Saudis.

On ThursdayDionspoke of the two countries'"common resolve in the fight against ISIL, Saudi-led efforts for the recent creation of an Islamic coalition against terrorism, our contribution to the international response to the Syrian crisis, and co-ordination of our efforts to support refugees fleeing conflict areas of the region."

"I congratulated the minister on his leadership in bringing together the Syrian opposition parties, an important step towards a much needed political resolution to the crisis," Dion said.

Dion also noted there are16,000 Saudi students pursuing their education in Canada.