Ashraf Fayadh (Arabic: أشرف فياض; born 1980 in Saudi Arabia) is an artist and poet[1]ofPalestinian origin. He is the son of refugees from Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip and lives in Saudi Arabia. He was active in the British-Arabian arts organization, Edge of Arabia,[2] and organized exhibitions of Saudi art in Europe and Saudi Arabia.
In November 2015, he was sentenced to death by beheading for apostasy.[3][4] The Saudi court overturned the death sentence three months later, imposing an eight-year prison term with 800 lashes.
Conviction for apostasy
[edit]Worldwide Reading for Ashraf Fayadh on 14 January 2016
After an argument at a café, Fayadh was detained by religious policeinAbha, Saudi Arabia, released on bail, then rearrested and tried in early 2014.[5] He was sentenced to four years in prison and 800 lashes.[5]ASaudi appeals court returned the case to the lower court where a new judge was assigned to the case.[6]
On 17 November 2015, Fayadh was sentenced to death by beheading for apostasy.[4] Evidence included several poems within his 2008 book Instructions Within, Twitter posts, and conversations Fayadh had in an Abha coffee shop, in which he was accused of having promoted atheism.[7][8][9]
In December 2015, Fayadh became Honorary MemberofGerman PEN, combined with a new protest note.[10]
In November 2015, the Berlin International Literature Festival published an appeal to support Ashraf Fayadh with a Worldwide Reading on 14 January 2016.[11] Adam Coogle, a Middle East researcher for Human Rights Watch, said Fayadh's death sentence showed Saudi Arabia's "complete intolerance of anyone who may not share government-mandated religious, political and social views."[2][9]
Following the international outcry, Fayadh's death sentence was commuted to eight years in prison and 800 lashes.[4] Fayadh was also required to repent through an announcement in official media.[12]
