SAUDI ARABIA REVOKES DEATH SENTENCE FOR ASHRAF FAYADH

A Saudi Arabian court has revoked the death sentence meted out to Palestinian artist, curator, and poet Ashraf Fayadh, who was accused of apostasy based on the content of his poetry book Instruction Within, 2008, according to The Guardian’s David Batty. Fayadh, instead, will be facing eight years in prison—and 800 lashes, stretched out over sixteen occasions.

Tate Modern’s former director, Chris Dercon, and actor Helen Mirren were among those asking for his release.

Jo Glanville, director of English PEN, which also campaigned for Fayadh’s release, said: “It is a relief that Ashraf Fayadh no longer faces execution, but this is a wholly disproportionate and shocking sentence.”

The thirty-five-year-old Saudi-born Palestinian refugee is part of the art group Edge of Arabia, and helped curate a show at the 2013 Venice Biennale.