MONTREAL - Despite pressure from the government of Saudi Arabia, the Quebec government will not stop efforts to free blogger Raif Badawi the Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion said on Wednesday.

"We reiterate our support for Raif Badawi," Kathleen Weil said. "We want his freedom, and we hope he will come live here with his wife and children," who live in Sherbrooke, Que.

"We are determined to continue to pursue our defence of Mr. Badawi and the defence of human rights, throughout the world," she added. "It's a flagrant case where his human rights were violated."

In a letter to the president of the National Assembly, dated March 10, the Saudi ambassador to Ottawa said the country does not appreciate the Quebec government's expressions of indignation towards Saudi policies in the Badawi case.

"The kingdom does not accept attacks against it in the name of human rights, especially in light of the fact that its constitution is based on Islamic law that guarantees the rights of the person and protects his blood, his money, his honour and dignity," said the letter, which was also sent to the Foreign Affairs ministry in Ottawa, and was obtained by CBC.

The letter goes on to argue that the media has tried to politicize human rights issues "according to standards that can only be described as selective and biased, and are intended to serve a political purpose."

Badawi was arrested in 2012 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1000 lashes.

-with files from Marie-Christine Noel