LONDON — A Saudi blogger who has been jailed and flogged for insulting Muslim clerics was awarded a major free-speech prize on Tuesday.

Raif Badawi shared the PEN Pinter Prize with British poet James Fenton.

Badawi is serving a 10-year sentence after being convicted of insulting Islam and breaking Saudi Arabia’s technology laws with his liberal blog. He also was sentenced to 1,000 lashes, spread over 20 installments, and fined $266,000.

The flogging has been suspended since Badawi received 50 lashes in January, a punishment that sparked international outrage.

Western governments have condemned Badawi’s treatment, and rights groups including Amnesty International have campaigned for his release.


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