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| Saudi journalist detained for Muhammad tweets freed | Saudi journalist detained for Muhammad tweets freed |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Saudi journalist detained after writing posts on Twitter deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad has been released, his friends and activists say. | A Saudi journalist detained after writing posts on Twitter deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad has been released, his friends and activists say. |
| Hamza Kashgari fled Saudi Arabia to Malaysia in February 2012 after his posts angered conservative Muslims and he received death threats. | Hamza Kashgari fled Saudi Arabia to Malaysia in February 2012 after his posts angered conservative Muslims and he received death threats. |
| He was extradited by Malaysia days later and detained by the Saudi authorities, reportedly on blasphemy charges. | He was extradited by Malaysia days later and detained by the Saudi authorities, reportedly on blasphemy charges. |
| The Saudi justice ministry has not yet commented on Mr Kashgari's release. | The Saudi justice ministry has not yet commented on Mr Kashgari's release. |
| On the occasion of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday last year, he wrote: "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." | |
| The former columnist for the Jeddah-based al-Bilad newspaper issued a public apology after deleting the tweets, saying: "I have made a mistake, and I hope Allah and all those whom I have offended will forgive me." | The former columnist for the Jeddah-based al-Bilad newspaper issued a public apology after deleting the tweets, saying: "I have made a mistake, and I hope Allah and all those whom I have offended will forgive me." |
| News of Mr Kashgari's release first emerged on social networking websites and was later confirmed by friends and the prominent human rights activist Waleed Abu al-Khair. | News of Mr Kashgari's release first emerged on social networking websites and was later confirmed by friends and the prominent human rights activist Waleed Abu al-Khair. |
| "The authorities freed Kashgari at 06:30 (03:30 GMT)," he told the AFP news agency. | "The authorities freed Kashgari at 06:30 (03:30 GMT)," he told the AFP news agency. |
| Prosecutors never made public any formal charges against him. | Prosecutors never made public any formal charges against him. |
| However, Interior Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said at the time that Mr Kashgari's tweets had made him weep and King Abdullah demanded he be held accountable. | However, Interior Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said at the time that Mr Kashgari's tweets had made him weep and King Abdullah demanded he be held accountable. |
| Saudi Arabia applies the death penalty to a wide range of offences, including blasphemy and apostasy. | Saudi Arabia applies the death penalty to a wide range of offences, including blasphemy and apostasy. |