Wait wait wait hold the phone –

Reporters Without Borders says Raif could be released soon.

RSF has been campaigning for many months for the release of Badawi, who has been sentenced to ten years in prison and 1,000 lashes.

The possibility of a pardon was mentioned at the end of last week by the Swiss foreign ministry’s secretary of state after an official visit to Saudi Arabia. He said Badawi’s sentence had been suspended while a proposed pardon was being considered. RSF hopes that the pardon materializes and that its many appeals to the Saudi king will finally lead to Badawi’s release.

“The release of the winner of the 2014 RSF Press Freedom Prize and the 2015 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought would send a strong message to the international community,” said Alexandra El Khazen, the head of RSF’s Middle East desk.

“We urge the Saudi authorities to approve Raif Badawi’s pardon and we hope that we will soon be able to see this young blogger released and reunited with his family. We meanwhile remain vigilant and call for the international pressure to be maintained.”

Various people on Ensaf Haidar’s wall are saying that others could be pardoned at the same time.