(Image Source: Emirates 24/7)

BY LUKE LEONARD

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

A Saudi blogger who angered Saudi religious authorities has been arrested on his way to New Zealand to seek asylum. A blogger for the Christian Science Monitor reports.


“A 23-year-old Saudi Twitter user, Hamza Kashgari, fled the country Sunday to avoid being arrested for his religious tweets, only to find himself in the hands of the Malaysian police today. … It has been reported that Malaysia, an officially Islamic state, will forcibly repatriate Kashgar to Saudi Arabia.”


Last Saturday was the celebration of the Prophet Mohammad’s birthday. Kashgari tweeted several messages
 

“I love many things about you and hate others, and there are many things about you I don't understand.”
“I won't bow in front of you, I won't kiss your hand. Instead, I will shake it as an equal...”
And
“No Saudi women will go to hell, because it's impossible to go there twice.”
 

After those tweets, Kashgari became the target of harassment and death threats. His name and address were posted, and he fled the country.


As of Friday, over 14,000 people have joined a Facebook group called “The Saudi People Demand the Execution of Hamza Kashgari.”


A video posted to YouTube shows the Saudi Sheikh Nassar al Omar weeping over the tweets, calling them the worst things he’d ever read.

And it wasn’t just religious authorities. A panel for The Daily Beast discussed political leaders getting involved as well.
 

“The king has issued a warrant for his arrest. So it wasn’t just the general sort of online fatwa and the explosion … but the government getting involved as well.”


The arrest in Malaysia struck up international debate over free expression. Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa said the organization is calling for Kashgari’s release.


“Amnesty International considers Hamza Kashgari a prisoner of conscience since he is being detained in Malaysia for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression...”



Kashgari claims his statements were not in vain and were a step towards freedom of speech — a basic human right. The Twitter account has since been deleted.