Raif Badawi flogging: Coderre says Harper should intervene

Montreal Mayor Denis CoderresaysPrime Minister Stephen Harper shouldintervene directly in the case of Raif Badawi, the Saudi bloggersentenced to 1,000 lashes for criticizing Islam online.

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Coderre met withBadawi'swifeEnsafHaidarbefore introducing amotion at city hall in Montrealon Mondayafternooncondemning the flogging.

He calledforBadawito be released and reunited with his wife andthree children inSherbrooke, Que.

"Pressure from Canada and a phone call from the prime minister couldmake a big difference," saidCoderre.

Coderre said the fact thatBadawiis not aCanadian citizen doesn't mean Canada can't do something to help him.

"I'm a former immigration minister. I believe in reuniting families," he said.

He urged members of federal opposition parties to question the newminister of foreign affairs, Rob Nicholson, about the case duringquestion period in the House of Commons.

Badawiis currently in jail in Saudi Arabia, serving a 10-year sentence for crimes related to criticizing Islam on an internet blog.

He was also sentenced to receive 1,000 lashes, to be delivered in weekly batches of 50.

He was flogged for the first time on Jan. 9. However, the next six flogging sessions were postponed.

The motion at Montreal city hall comes after the Feb. 11 motion passed unanimously in Quebec's National Assemblycalling on the governments of Quebec and Canada to do everything possible to secure Badawis freedom.