A Message to the Blogger Team

Many thanks to the Team for restoring full functionality on this blog. Your assistance is very much appreciated. – Mark

Message to Blogger: The Restoration of the Sidebar

I would like to thank the team at Blogger for being so helpful as to restore the sidebar for me. The team’s kindness is deeply appreciated.

Mark Alexander

Censored by Blogger!

For the first time in twenty or so years, I have been censored by Blogger! A post of mine of a newspaper article on the petrol shortage and the panic buying that has been taking place because of the shortage was taken down! This astonishes me, especially since this post was a mere snippet from a Guardian article. So what exactly is being achieved by this? Anyone can go over to the Guardian and read the same thing. Is this the shape of things to come in the new, post-Brexit Britain, I wonder?

Americans' freedom of speech is guaranteed by their Constitution. The First Amendment guarantees that right. Alas, we Brits have no such guarantee. We are mere subjects, not citizens; and we have no written constitution. So we have only the rights conferred on us by Her Majesty's government. – Mark

Blogger Who Criticized Government, Radical Islam Killed In Maldives

WBUR: Yameen Rasheed, a 29-year-old blogger and activist in the Maldives, was stabbed to death on Sunday. Rasheed was a prominent satirist and commentator who took aim at radical Islam in the Maldives, and was a frequent critic of the government. Last year he reported receiving death threats. » | Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Syria 'Arrests Iconic Blogger Razan Ghazzawi and Leading Activists'
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Security forces on Thursday arrested blogger Razan Ghazzawi, icon of the 11-month uprising in Syria, along with rights activist Mazen Darwish and 12 others, opposition figures said.

Human rights lawyer Anwar Bunni said Ghazzawi was arrested in an early afternoon raid on the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression, which is located in central Damascus and is headed by Darwish.

"We at the Syrian Centre for Legal Studies condemn these arrests and call on Syrian authorities to immediately release them," Bunni said in a statement.

Opposition figure Louai Hussein earlier told AFP that Darwish's wife was also among those arrested. » | Thursday, February 16, 2012

Hamza Kashgari, the Saudi Writer Arrested for Religiously Offensive Tweets with Help of Interpol
Hamza Kashgari,the Saudi writer and blogger had to flee after writing three tweets on the social media network Twitter, after only a couple of days he had flee for his life to Malaysia on his way to New Zealand after there were calls for his execution. He was arrested in Islamic Malaysia and is being sent back to Saudi Arabia to face the death penalty.

Mohammed-Zweifler Kaschgari: Facebook-Hatz auf einen Blogger

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Zehntausende fordern in einer Facebook-Gruppe die Bestrafung des saudi-arabischen Journalisten Hamsa Kaschgari, weil er den Propheten Mohammed beleidigt haben soll. Sie wollen ein Exempel statuieren und verlangen die Hinrichtung des 23-Jährigen. Kaum einer stellt sich dem Hass entgegen.

Es ist ein digitaler Lynchmob, der sich im Internet zusammengerottet hat: Mehr als 25.000 Menschen sind bislang der Facebook-Gruppe "Das saudische Volk will die Bestrafung von Hamsa Kaschgari" beigetreten. Die meisten User, die sich auf der Pinnwand der Gruppe äußern, lassen keinen Zweifel daran, wie diese Strafe aussehen muss: Sie fordern den Tod des 23-jährigen Journalisten, weil er ihrer Meinung nach den Propheten Mohammed beleidigt und sich damit der Blasphemie schuldig gemacht haben soll.

Hamsa Kaschgari hatte vor zehn Tagen auf Twitter ein fiktives Gespräch mit dem Propheten geführt. Darin hatte er unter anderem erklärt, dass er nicht für Mohammed beten werde und bestimmte Dinge an ihm hasse. Außerdem schrieb er: "An Deinem Geburtstag werde ich mich nicht vor Dir verbeugen und nicht Deine Hand küssen."

In der Folge brach im arabischsprachigen Internet ein Sturm der Wut und Entrüstung über die Tweets des jungen Mannes aus. Als Kaschgari erkannt hatte, welche Gefahr vom Zorn seiner Glaubensbrüder und Glaubenschwestern ausging, floh er nach Malaysia. Offenbar wollte er von dort aus nach Neuseeland weiterfliegen. Die Behörden in Kuala Lumpur nahmen ihn jedoch bald nach der Ankunft fest und lieferten ihn an Saudi-Arabien aus, wo er in der Zwischenzeit mit Haftbefehl gesucht wurde.

In seiner Heimat droht ihm wegen seiner drei verhängnisvollen Tweets nun die Todesstrafe. » | Von Christoph Sydow | Mittwoch, 15. Februar 2012

Related articles and videos here

The Bloodlust Faced by the 'Blaspheming' Saudi Journalist
GUARDIAN – BLOGS – ANDREW BROWN: Hamza Kashgari's tweets about Muhammad have led to a chilling online reaction from many in Saudi Arabia

In this country, and in the US, the judicial authorities make fools of themselves about Twitter. In Saudi and Malaysia, they may make themselves murderers. The case of Hamza Kashgari, a young Saudi journalist who has just been deported from Malaysia to face trial on charges of blasphemy, is one that should frighten and disgust anyone who cares about freedom of speech or religion.

His supposed offence was to have tweeted part of an imaginary conversation with the prophet Muhammad. "I have loved things about you and I have hated things about you and there is a lot I don't understand about you," he wrote; and: "I will not pray for you."

After six hours, he apologised for this, and then fled to Malaysia, en route to New Zealand, where he would have been safe. But after three days in Malaysia, he was arrested and shipped back to Saudi, where he faces the death penalty.

It is likely that he will not be executed, if he makes a sufficiently grovelling apology, though he will certainly be punished cruelly for something that is not a crime in any civilised society. This doesn't do much to excuse either the Saudis or the Malaysian authorities, who were under no compulsion to arrest him, and even less to deport him before his lawyers could lodge an appeal, despite the protests of both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Continue reading and comment » | Andrew Brown | Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Related articles and videos here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Saudi in Mohammed Twitter Row 'Repents'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Saudi journalist awaiting interrogation over Tweets deemed insulting to Islam's Prophet Mohammed insisted that he has repented, according to a relative.

Hamza Kashgari "has affirmed to his family that he stands by his repentance, that he has made a mistake and regrets it," said the family member on condition of anonymity.

The 23-year-old fled to Malaysia after his comments sparked a wave of condemnations and threats against his life, but was deported back to Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Upon his return from Malaysia, Kashgari "informed his family he is in very good condition," the source said. "His family is still waiting for authorities to allow them to visit him and appoint a defence lawyer."

A Saudi lawyer told AFP on Tuesday that Kashgari "has not yet been interrogated and we hope this issue ends before it reaches the attorney general."

Saudi English-language daily Arab News reported earlier this week that Kashgari would face blasphemy charges.

On the occasion of the Muslim prophet's birthday, Kashgari tweeted: "I have loved things about you and I have hated things about you and there is a lot I don't understand about you."

"I will not pray for you." » | AFP | Wednesday, February 15, 2012

So much for the Prophet's saying that "there is no compulsion in religion"! Vacuous words in today's Saudi Arabia! – © Mark

Fossils and Dangerous Fools! Saudi Sheikh Weeping as He Demands that Saudi Columnist Hamza Kashgari Gets Executed
Sheikh Nasser Al Omar pleads to the king that Saudi writer Hamza Kashgari gets executed for supposedly writing "shameful" comments about prophet Mohammed on Twitter.

SAVE HAMZA KASHGARI: Sign the petition! »

Deported Writer Faces Apostasy Trial in Saudi Arabia
Malaysia, in extraditing Hamza Kashgari has shown disregard for international norms, says Human Rights Watch.

ALIRAN: Saudi authorities should free Hamza Kashgari and drop any charges against him based on comments he made on Twitter expressing his personal religious views, Human Rights Watch said on 12 February. On the morning of 12 February 2012, Malaysian authorities deported Kashgari back to Saudi Arabia to face charges of apostasy there, hours before lawyers obtained a Malaysian High Court injunction against his deportation.

Saudi Arabia’s highest official clerics have declared Kashgari guilty of apostasy based on his now-deleted tweets and called for him to be put to death.

“Malaysia had no business deporting Kashgari, and Saudi has no business prosecuting him for his tweets expressing his religious opinion, which it is his right to do freely,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “It is near certain he will not get a fair trial in Saudi Arabia, where religious scholars have concluded that he is guilty of apostasy and should be put to death.”

Kashgari fled Saudi Arabia on 6 February to Malaysia, following popular outrage and calls for his punishment after he published a number of tweets expressing his religious views, which he has since deleted. Human Rights Watch has reviewed the alleged tweets and not found any language that could incite violence. The 23-year-old journalist, who wrote for Al-Bilad daily newspaper, has expressed regret for the tweets, saying he had no idea they would elicit such a strong negative reaction. » | Aliran | Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Worshippers Want Kashgari Punished
ARAB NEWS: MAKKAH: Imams of mosques in Makkah were unanimous in their Friday sermons on the necessity of bringing Saudi columnist and writer Hamza Kashgari to justice for making insulting comments about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on Twitter.

Kashgari fled to Malasyia after realizing that the deletion of his slanderous comments and the repentance he had announced in his tweets were not enough to save his neck. He was arrested on arrival at Kuala Lumpur airport on Thursday.

Worshippers, many of them in tears, were in agreement with their imams calling for bringing Kashgari to justice for his blasphemous tweets about the Prophet, local daily Al-Eqtisadiah reported Saturday. The article said the worshippers expressed happiness over the government's move to arrest the blogger and bring him to justice.

The Malaysian police confirmed the arrest of Kashgari as part of an Interpol operation under the request of Saudi Arabia but did not disclose if he would be extradited to his country.

The imams and the worshipers strongly denounced the slanderous comments against the Prophet and said anyone who dared to badmouth the Prophet should be severely punished to deter others from doing the same.

Some of the imams dedicated their entire Friday sermon to attacking the blogger and calling for his trial, while others strongly warned against insulting the Prophet in words or deeds. Some of the imams were not able to hold back their tears while defending the Prophet, recalling verses from the Qur'an warning against attacking Allah or His Prophet.

"The unison between the imams and the worship[p]ers against this heinous act is a crystal-clear indication that attacking the Prophet is a red line no one should cross or come close to," a worship[p]er said. He did not want to be identified.

A number of worship[p]ers said they were determined to file lawsuits against Kashgari in Shariah courts calling for his execution on charges of apostasy. » | Arab News | Sunday, February 12, 2012

Related »

Saudi Blogger Faces Trial for Apostasy

VOICE OF AMERICA: Saudi newspaper Arab News says a Saudi blogger accused of apostasy has been detained on arrival in Riyadh after being deported from Malaysia, where he fled last week.

Hamza Kashgari caused an outcry among devout Saudis earlier this month, when he used his Twitter account to post thoughts about the Prophet Muhammad they deemed insulting to Islam.

The comments by the 23-year-old columnist for Jeddah-based newspaper al-Bilad triggered tens of thousands of Twitter responses, many from enraged Saudis calling for his death.

Kashgari quickly apologized and deleted his Twitter account, but fled the country last Tuesday as the outrage grew.

A day later, a committee of senior Saudi clerics appointed by the king declared Kashgari to be an apostate - a crime punishable by death - and called for him to be put on trial. » | Michael Lipin | Washington | Monday, February 13, 2012

Google Joins Twitter in Censorship Storm: Site May Now Block Blog Posts in Line with Requests from Oppressive Regimes
MAIL ONLINE: Blog posts will be blocked at national government request / Campaigners fear 'the end of the global internet community' / But Google claims move will allow MORE free speech

Google's informal motto is 'don't be evil', but a huge change to its Blogger service could see the search giant help oppressive governments stamp out voices of protest.

Bloggers who have relied on the popular service to organise dissent as seen during the Arab Spring could find their posts being blocked by Google itself.

The company will now block posts or blogs from being seen in a country if they their local laws, handing a victory to regimes that crack down on free speech to keep a lid on dissent.

The move has caused widespread concern - and echoes Twitter's recent decision to block Tweets on a similar 'per country' basis to comply with local laws.

Internet freedom group Open Net Initiative said of Twitter's recent policy change, 'The change marks a new trend in American Internet companies bowing to the demands of authoritarian regimes.'

Amnesty International said, 'As with other sectors, business decisions in the digital world have human rights implications. Human rights monitors and advocates have a lot more work to do since the digital revolution.'

'Our collective vigilance is needed more than ever.'

Thailand heartily backed Twitter's recent decision to block Tweets at the request of governments, as did China's state-run newspaper.

But Google claims that the move will actually allow more freedom of speech. Read on and comment » | Rob Waugh | Thursday, February 02, 2012

Ägyptische Militärjustiz begnadigt kritischen Blogger
ZEIT ONLINE: Das ägyptische Militär hat sein umstrittenes Urteil gegen den Blogger Sanad aufgehoben. Zum Jahrestag der Revolution sollen 1.950 weitere Gefangene freigelassen werden. » | Zeit Online, AFP | Sonntag 22. Januar 2012

Female Blogger's Nude Photo Creates a Stir in Egypt

GLOBAL POST: Aliaa Elmahdy, a 20-year-old female activist in Egypt, posted a nude photo of herself on the internet

An Egyptian female activist sparked an intense online debate over the limits of personal expression in art this week, following the discovery of nude photos the woman took and posted to her blog.

Aliaa Elmahdy, a 20-year-old college student and self-described “secular liberal feminist,” posted two nude photos of herself on her blog, “A Rebel’s Diary,” last month. The young revolutionary's photos were apparently discovered earlier this week by a Twitter user, who called them "brave."

In one of the pics, Elmahdy is standing with her right foot perched one the bottom rung of a wooden stool. She is wearing lacy, thigh-high black stockings, red slippers - and nothing else.

The second photo is a three-part collage of the first, with yellow strips censoring out her crotch, mouth and eyes. » | Jon Jensen | Thursday, November 17, 2011

Related »

Egyptian Blogger Claims Authorities Are Betraying Revolution
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An Egyptian activist detained by the military authorities has smuggled a letter out of prison condemning them for betraying the revolution to topple President Hosni Mubarak which he helped initiate.

Alaa Abdel-Fattah is one of thousands of people, many activists and bloggers, arrested by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the military council running Egypt, since the Tahrir Square revolution.

But his detention has caused particular outrage because he is accused of instigating violence during a protest by Christians last month, where video evidence clearly showed troops driving into and shooting at unarmed demonstrators.

In his letter, published in local media, he describes how being imprisoned reminds him of a previous arrest under Mr Mubarak.

"I'm alone, in a cell with eight men who shouldn't be here; poor, helpless, unjustly held – the guilty among them and the innocent," he writes. "As soon as they learned I was one of the "young people of the revolution" they started to curse out the revolution and how it had failed to clean up the ministry of the interior. Continue reading and comment » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Demonstration in Kairo für verhafteten Blogger

Militärführung Ablenkung von Verantwortung für blutige Zusammenstösse vorgeworfen
NZZ ONLINE: Mehr als 3000 Personen sind in der ägyptischen Hauptstadt Kairo aus Protest gegen die Festnahme eines prominenten Bloggers auf die Strasse gegangen. Bei der friedlichen Demonstration forderten sie am Montag die Freilassung des Aktivisten Alaa Abdel Fatah. » | sda/ddp | Dienstag o1. November 2011

Egypt Military Trying Political Prisoners
Mohamed Ibrahim Soliman, Egypt's former Housing Minister, has been arrested on corruption allegations, becoming the latest member of the former Mubarak government to be detained over allegations regarding deals worth billions of dollars.



Much less publicised in Egypt, however, are the cases of political activists who have been detained since the fall of Hosni Mubarak. Many have been charged with spreading "false information" and insulting the country's powerful military, which currently controls the state.



Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reports on one such case from Cairo.

Bahrain Steps Up Detentions, Releases Prominent Blogger
REUTERS AFRICA: DUBAI - Bahrain released a prominent blogger but detained several people, including a pro-opposition doctor, the latest in a series of arrests since the kingdom's crackdown on street protests, opposition sources said on Friday.

The tiny island's Sunni rulers have stepped up arrests of cyber activists and Shi'ites, with more than 300 detained and dozens missing since the crackdown on pro-democracy protests earlier this month.

It imposed martial law and called in troops from fellow Sunni-ruled neighbours, including Saudi Arabia, to quell the protest movement led mostly by the state's Shi'ite majority.

More than 60 percent of Bahrainis are Shi'ites and most want a constitutional monarchy.

Mattar Ibrahim Mattar, a member of Bahrain's largest Shi'ite opposition group, Wefaq, said the party's official arrest count was 329 by Thursday, but that the real number was likely to be over 400.

He said at least 20 people had been detained on Thursday and 31 were missing. It was unclear if those people were in hiding or had been abducted. » | Writing by Erika Solomon; Editing by Nick Macfie | Friday, April 01, 2011

PEOPLE’S DAILY ONLINE: Bahrain's blogfather released: Bahrain's blogfather Mahmood Al Yousif was released Thursday night after he was arrested by Bahraini authorities a day earlier. » | Source: Xinhua | Friday, April 01, 2011