PEN’s Free Expression Digest brings you a daily curated round-up of the most important free expression-related stories from around the web. Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

Blogger Raif Badawi is moved to ‘final’ Saudi prison *PEN Case List
The wife of Raif Badawi says the imprisoned Saudi blogger has been transferred to a prison “for those whose verdict is final.” Ensaf Haidar spoke to Newsweek about her husband who, in 2014, was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison after he criticized Saudi clerics on his liberal blog. He was found guilty of insulting Islam and violating Saudi Arabia’s information technology laws and received the first 50 lashes of his sentence in January. NEWSWEEK

Thai court rejects petition to free detained critic, activist says
A Thai court on Tuesday rejected a petition to free a critic of Thailand’s junta who was arrested while in hospital, a leader of an anti-government activist group said. Sirawit Serithiwat, the activist, said the Ratchada Criminal Court rejected a petition he filed for the release of Thanet Anantawong, 25. Thanet was taken from a hospital on Sunday by undercover police officers while he awaited an operation, according to Human Rights Watch. REUTERS

Egypt extends journalist’s detention for a second time
For the second time, Egypt has extended the detention of a journalist accused of “releasing false news aimed at spreading terror” and “joining a banned group” by another 15 days pending further investigation, the detainee’s family and local media said. Ismail Alexandrani, an award-winning investigative journalist, is likely to be held until at least the end of December given the extension, his wife Khadeega Gafar said. AL JAZEERA

China: Journalists ‘slammed to ground’ by police during Pu Zhiqiang’s trial
Journalists reported scuffles outside a courtroom in Beijing during the long awaited trial of human rights lawyer and free speech champion Pu Zhiqiang, who is accused of making “criminal” comments online, “inciting ethnic hatred,” and “picking quarrels and provoking troubles.” The FCCC has already condemned the treatment of journalists at the scene by Chinese authorities, calling it a “gross violation of Chinese government rules governing foreign correspondents. SHANGHAIIST

Singaporean blogger investigated over alleged anti-Islam comments
According to a statement released by the Singapore Police Force, 17-year-old blogger Amos Yee is again under police investigation, after he allegedly made offensive anti-Islamic comments on his personal blog. On Dec. 12, police released a statement notifying Yee that he must appear before them over the issue. Yee has described the communication and uploaded a photograph of the statement on his Facebook page. HONG KONG FREE PRESS

Egypt’s best-selling author says government trying to silence him
Author Alaa al-Aswany said on Sunday that authorities have pressured a cultural center to cancel an event where he was scheduled to talk about how the government manipulates the public with theories that the world is conspiring against Egypt. Aswany said the cancellation of his gathering last Thursday in Alexandria followed other measures in the past year that have prevented him from appearing on TV channels or getting published in Egyptian newspapers. THE GUARDIAN

Thai man may go to prison for insulting king’s dog
Thailand’s strict laws making it a crime to insult the monarchy entered new territory on Monday when a factory worker was charged with disparaging the king’s dog. In a case brought in a Thai military court, the worker, Thanakorn Siripaiboon, was charged with making a “sarcastic” Internet post related to the king’s pet. He also faces separate charges of sedition and insulting the king. NEW YORK TIMES

Slain reporters honored on Remembrance Day for Killed Journalists in Russia
Annually on Dec. 15 since 1991, the Russian Union of Journalists has marked a Remembrance Day for Killed Journalists who died while performing their professional duties. “These courageous members of the media represent the vanguard for free expression and free media,” OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said. “Inadequate reaction to crimes against journalists breeds a climate of fear and injustice not only for those subject to these attacks, but also for society as a whole.” OSCE