Saudi Journalist Facing Trial for Tweets About Prophet Muhammad

Malaysian authorities have deported Hamza Kashgari, a Saudi journalist accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad in a tweet.

Hamza Kashgari’s tweets, which have now been deleted from his account:

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

Kashgari’s controversial tweet last week sparked thousands of responses including several death threats.

Insulting the prophet is considered blasphemous in Islam and is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.

23-year-old Kashgari had fled Saudi Arabia last week and was detained upon his arrival in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

Anchor Marco Werman talks to Saudi Arabian human rights activist Mohammed al-Qahtani about Kashgari’s arrest.