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    February 13, 2012

Saudi Blogger Faces Trial for Apostasy

   Hamza Kashgari detained in Riyadh after being deported from Malaysia

   Michael Lipin | Washington
   Hamza Kashgari faces trial in Saudi Arabia for apostacy

   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.

   Human Rights Groups Express Concern
   Christoph Wilcke, a senior researcher with New York-based rights group
   Human Rights Watch, told VOA that Kashgari is "very unlikely" to get a
   fair trial in which the offending remarks can be explained.
   Wilcke said the senior Saudi clerics who called for Kashgari to face
   trial also have predetermined its outcome by declaring him an apostate.
   He said one cleric even called for the blogger to be executed.
   The clerics of the Saudi kingdom's Permanent Committee for Research and
   Religious Verdicts are responsible for making authoritative
   interpretations of Islamic law. Their verdicts almost are equivalent to
   "an act of the U.S. Congress and a ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court at
   the same time," said Wilcke.
   But, Wilcke said there is a chance that Kashgari could appeal to Saudi
   King Abdullah for leniency and avoid execution. He noted the case of
   Hadi al Mutif, a member of the minority Ismaili sect whom the
   government pardoned last week after arresting him for apostasy in 1993
   and later sentencing him to death.
   Malaysia also is facing criticism from rights activists for its
   decision to quickly extradite Kashgari to Saudi Arabia. Malaysian
   police detained the blogger after he arrived at Kuala Lumpur's
   international airport Wednesday en route to another country. Sunday,
   police handed him to Saudi officials who escorted him on a flight to
   Riyadh.

   Malaysia Says Its a Saudi Affair
   Malaysia does not have an extradition treaty with Saudi Arabia, but
   said it has a "long-standing arrangement" to extradite individuals
   wanted in other countries. Kuala Lumpur said the charges against
   Kashgari were a matter for Saudi authorities.
   Ali Alyami, director of the Washington-based Center for Democracy &
   Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, told VOA that he believes Malaysia
   extradited Kashgari for other reasons. "The Saudi regime and religious
   establishment have influence in Malaysia because of the financial
   support they give to Kuala Lumpur," he said. "Saudi and Malaysian
   business people also have strong ties."
   Wilcke said the Malaysian government did not act in good faith because
   lawyers had obtained a court order to prevent Kashgari's deportation
   and were prevented from seeing their client while he was detained.
   "It remains unclear what legal basis was used to keep Kashgari in
   detention since he entered Malaysia legally, for all we know, and
   committed no crime there," said Wilcke.
   In his tweets, Kashgari imagined a conversation with Prophet Muhammad
   in which he said they are equal. He said he admires some of the
   prophet's characteristics, but dislikes others.
   Alyami said questioning Islam is taboo in Saudi Arabia because religion
   is a "tool in the hands of rulers who want to control people
   financially and economically and to discriminate against minorities."
   He also said many Saudis are "religiously brainwashed" and feel they
   have to call for Kashgari's execution in order to be perceived as "good
   Muslims."
   Saudi Arabia prohibits the public practice of any religion other than
   Islam. In a 2011 report, the U.S. State Department said some Muslims
   who did not adhere to Riyadh's interpretation of Islam faced
   "significant political, economic, legal, social, and religious
   discrimination."
   The Saudi embassy in Washington did not respond to VOA's request for
   comment on Kashgari's case. But, its website says the Saudi government
   has embarked upon a "comprehensive reform agenda to promote a vibrant
   economy, a civil society, and broader political participation by Saudi
   citizens."
   Alyami said Kashgari is not unique among Saudis in speaking out about
   controversial topics. Millions of young Saudi men and women are "very
   frustrated with the lack of political freedom, sexual freedom and
   jobs," he said. "They also feel isolated from the rest of the world
   and... disconnected from religious traditions of the past."
   "Now, for the first time, young Saudis are connecting with each other
   through social media to discuss these issues." Saudi rulers' "failure"
   to recognize this trend is the real danger, said Alyami.