The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain condemns the arrest of 26 year old Palestinian internet blogger Waleed Al-Husseini by the Palestinian Authority for exercising his right to free speech.

Waleed has written on his Blog: “My criticism of Islam and its “holy” symbols is not due to a feeling of resentment or a desire to undermine and humiliate its followers, but rather to the sentiment of despair that filled me while I was watching the world fall apart before my eyes because of religion and its nonsense.”

The arrest was confirmed by the Palestinian News Agency Maan on 7 November 2010 using the initials W. H. It said he was arrested in the West Bank city of Qalqilya for criticising religions and promoting atheism and has claimed Divinity on his Blog and on his Facebook page which have now been shut down. Waleed’s arrest is an attack on freedom of conscience and belief. The CEMB demands his immediate and unconditional release.