The wife and children of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi remain optimistic he will be released from prison, despite word that he faces more floggings as part of his sentence for insulting Muslim clerics.

Family friend Alishba Zarmeen told CTV News Channel Thursday that Badawi’s wife, Ensaf Haidar, and their three children, who have lived in Sherbrooke, Que. since 2013, are enduring a painful ordeal, but they remain upbeat.

“This entire family – the kids and Ensaf – are an inspiration for me, how they are just trekking on and fighting,” Zarmeen said from Toronto.

She added that Badawi’s ordeal has been all-consuming for Haidar.

“This is their full time work; this is all they do, trying to get Raif out of there.”

Haida told The Canadian Press on Wednesday, that a source she trusts says her husband’s 1,000 lashings are due to resume soon.

Badawi has already received 50 lashes, but the floggings were put on hold in January, over health concerns and other undisclosed reasons.

Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and a $300,000 fine for criticizing Muslim clerics on his website.

Zarmeen says Badawi’s wife has not told their children about the ordeal their father is enduring.

“Ensaf did not tell her kids about the lashing because it’s too much for little kids under the age of 10 to bear,” she said.

“His youngest daughter doesn’t even have any clear memories of her father. So it’s a very painful situation.”