Saudi Writer Hamza Kashgari Detained in Malaysia Over Muhammad Tweets

THE DAILY BEAST: A young Saudi blogger whose tweets about the Prophet Muhammad inflamed Islamists—who are calling for his execution—reportedly has been detained in Malaysia. It is not clear if he will be extradited to Saudi Arabia. Mike Giglio exclusively interviews Hamza Kashgari.

Update: The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Hamza Kashgari has been detained in Malaysia. He was detained yesterday at the Kuala Lumpur International airport, the Journal reports, citing Malaysia’s state news service.

A friend of Kashgari’s, who asked not to be named, told The Daily Beast on Wednesday that she had accompanied him to the airport and witnessed his detention. “We were just watching him, waiting for him to pass the immigration checkpoint. Once he submitted his passport, they asked him to step away for a few minutes,” the friend said, still noticeably shaken. “And suddenly these two people without uniforms just arrested him.”

It remains unclear why Kashgari is being held or whether he will be extradited to Saudi Arabia.
Last week, just before the anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad’s birth, Hamza Kashgari, a 23-year-old Saudi writer in Jidda, took to his Twitter feed to reflect on the occasion.

“On your birthday, I will say that I have loved the rebel in you, that you’ve always been a source of inspiration to me, and that I do not like the halos of divinity around you. I shall not pray for you,” he wrote in one tweet.

“On your birthday, I find you wherever I turn. I will say that I have loved aspects of you, hated others, and could not understand many more,” he wrote in a second.

“On your birthday, I shall not bow to you. I shall not kiss your hand. Rather, I shall shake it as equals do, and smile at you as you smile at me. I shall speak to you as a friend, no more,” he concluded in a third. » | Mike Giglio | Friday, February 10, 2012


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Malaysia Arrests Saudi Blogger Over Tweets

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Hamza Kashgari detained after apparently fleeing kingdom after being accused of insulting Prophet Muhammad on Twitter.

A Saudi blogger who caused outrage in the Gulf kingdom with comments on twitter [sic] deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, has been arrested by Malaysian police after fleeing Saudi Arabia following calls for his execution.

Hamza Kashgari was headed to New Zealand where he hoped to gain political asylum when he was arrested upon arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Thursday.

A police spokesman confirmed to the Reuters news agency that Malaysian police had detained the 23-year-old columnist.

"This arrest was part of an Interpol operation which the Malaysian police were a part of," said the spokesman.

State news agency Bernama said Kashgari was arrested in the Muslim-majority nation "for allegedly insulting Islam and the Prophet Mohammed."

No further details were provided on whether the writer from the western city of Jeddah would be extradited to Saudi Arabia.

An official with the Malaysian home ministry who asked to remain unidentified told the AFP news agency that though Malaysia and Saudi Arabia have no formal extradition treaties, Kashgari could be extradited under other bilateral security agreements.

Clerics and locals in the kingdom have called for Kashgari's death for three comments he made on the micro-blogging service on the occasion of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday.

"On your birthday, I find you wherever I turn. I will say that I have loved aspects of you, hated others, and could not understand many more," read one tweet posted on Saturday.

All three tweets were later deleted by Kashgari, who received over 30,000 responses within a day of the postings. » | Source: Al Jazeera and agencies | Friday, February 10, 2012


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Saudi Arabia Eases Laws on Solo Women
BBC: The authorities in Saudi Arabia have decided to end a ban on unaccompanied women staying in the country's hotels.

A woman can now stay in a hotel alone as long as she carries identification.

Based on a royal decree, the move marks a break from religious codes requiring women to be accompanied by a male guardian at all times.

The decree allowed the Ministry of Trade to outline new regulations simply requiring women to show photographic ID to hotel managers.

This must then be registered with local police.

The decision was reported by the local daily al-Watan newspaper, which is considered close to the Saudi government, on Monday. S Arabia eases laws on solo women >>>

THE TELEGRAPH:
Saudi Arabia to lift ban on women drivers

BBC:
Senior Saudi royal demands reform

BBC:
Campaign for release of Saudi blogger

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