"Saudi Liberals" website founder sentenced to 10 years in jail, 1,000 lashes

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* Original sentence was for seven years, 600 lashes * Lawyers say sentence too harsh, ruling subject to appeal * Two other Saudis sentenced to six and five years in jail (Adds two separate rulings) DUBAI, May 7 (Reuters) - A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced the editor of an Internet forum he founded to discuss the role of religion in the conservative Islamic kingdom to 10 years in jail and 1,000 lashes, Saudi media reported on Wednesday. Raif Badawi, who started the "Free Saudi Liberals" website, was originally sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes in July last year, but an appeals court overturned the sentence and ordered a retrial. His lawyers said Wednesday's sentence was too harsh, although the prosecutor had demanded a harsher penalty, news website Sabq reported. The prosecution had demanded that Badawi be tried for apostasy, a charge which carries the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.

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