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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Saudi journalist detained for Muhammad tweets freed | Saudi journalist detained for Muhammad tweets freed |
| (about 4 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." | 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." |
| Activist jailed | |
| News of Mr Kashgari's release first emerged on social networking websites and was later confirmed by friends and the prominent human rights activist and lawyer 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. |
| In a separate development on Tuesday - only hours after he had confirmed Mr Kashgari's release - a court in Jeddah sentenced Mr Abu al-Khair to three months in prison for signing a statement calling for reforms in the Gulf kingdom, a rights group said. | |
| The London-based Institute for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia reported that Mr Abu al-Khair intended to launch an appeal against the conviction next week. | |
| He is facing a second trial in the capital Riyadh on Monday on charges of encouraging people to challenge the ruling system, establishing a human rights organisation without a licence, contacting foreign rights organisations and disrespecting the judiciary. | |
| Earlier this month, the activist was detained for hosting an "unauthorised" forum at his home to exchange ideas with other reformists, known as a "diwaniah". | |
| Mr Abu al-Khair is the founder and head of the pioneering Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia (MHRSA). The group's Facebook page has nearly 7,000 members. |