Tag: Hamza Kashgari
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I needed some good news
Hamza Kashgari, the young Saudi journalist whose tweets were deemed insulting to Mohammad, Islam’s prophet, has been released. He faced the death penalty and was returned from Malaysia where he had fled to escape Saudi [in]justice. I needed some good news today if only for a few seconds. Only hours after confirming Kashgari’s release, a…
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Update on Alex Aan and Hamza Kashgari: We must keep the pressure on
ALEX AAN If you recall, I had told you about the case of 30 year old atheist Alex Aan, the civil servant who had been beaten and arrested in Indonesia because his postings on Facebook ‘insulted Islam’. In an update on his case, it’s reported that he has been indicted on three counts. The report…
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The Saudi government will be held accountable for Hamza Kashgari’s life and security
We demand immediate freedom for Hamza Kashgari! Open letter to the Saudi Embassy in London-UK To Whom It May Concern: We are outraged to learn that 23 year old writer Hamza Kashgari is in prison after being deported to Saudi Arabia from Malaysia where he had fled in fear of his life. The deportation of…
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We are here for Hamza Kashgari, Alex Aan and others like them
Here is my speech at the 11 February free expression rally. We were there for the likes of Saudi writer Hamza Kashgari, Indonesian atheist Alex Aan and others whose lives are intertwined with ours, even if we do not realise it:
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The Walrus and the Carpenter
Hassan Radwan just sent me a link to the video clip of the Saudi Sheikh Nasser Al Omar crying whilst relating the ‘offence’ that Hamza Kashgari has committed by tweeting about Mohammad, Islam’s prophet. As is expected, the Sheikh quickly gathers his emotions and calls for Hamza’s death. The sheikh’s crocodile tears remind me of…
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There must be more people who want Hamza to live not die
The Facebook page الشعب السعودي يريد القصاص من حمزة كاشغري ‘The Saudi People Demand Ghisas [Retribution] for Hamza Kashgari’ has 22,500 members as of now. And the Free Hamza Kashgari page you ask? 2,500. Facebook sees no problem with the first Facebook page though complaints have been made. It’s ‘their culture’ after all. But a call…
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Freedom for Saudi writer Hamza Kashgari
On 12 February, Malaysian police deported 23 year old Saudi columnist Hamza Kashgari, who fled Saudi Arabia after making comments on Twitter claimed by some to be “insulting” to the prophet Muhammad. There have been widespread calls from Islamists for his execution; in Saudi Arabia, blasphemy is punishable by death. Theocratic regimes like Saudi Arabia…
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INTERPOL, you have done this before…
INTERPOL has issued a statement saying it is not involved in the arrest or deportation of Saudi blogger, Hamza Kashgari: ‘INTERPOL confirms that it has NOT been involved in the case involving a Saudi blogger arrested in Malaysia and deported to Saudi Arabia. No INTERPOL channels, its National Central Bureaus in Kuala Lumpur and Riyadh…
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Malaysia must pay for this and Saudi Arabia too: Hamza must live
Police have confirmed that Hamza Kashgari was sent back to Saudi Arabia on Sunday despite protests. A friend has emailed to say the Malysian authorities refused to allow a lawyer to talk to him. Malaysia’s home ministry has said that ‘The nature of the charges against the individual in this case are a matter for…
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In defence of Hamza Kashgari
I’ve received a number of calls and emails asking to help 23 year old Saudi journalist Hamza Kashgari. Hamza’s a Muslim who has been forced to flee Saudi Arabia because his Tweets about Mohammad, Islam’s prophet, have been deemed to be offensive and blasphemous by Islamists calling for his head. The Saudi king has personally…