Saudi authorities on Wednesday freed writer Turki al-Hamad who has been held with no trial since December over comments deemed insulting to Islam posted on Twitter. Lawyer Walid Abulkhair said that Hamad, a novelist and a political commentator, "returned home this morning." He said the writer "has not been put on trial, and has not faced any charges."
| Which is why he was held for six months in a Saoodi prison... |
Hamad was arrested at the behest of Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdel Aziz,
| ...there's the problem right there: you can be jugged when a prince wants you jugged... |
who was tipped off by a religious organization about his alleged insults to Islam, his family said on December 24.
The remarks he posted had criticized radical Islamists he said were twisting the Prophet Mohammed's "message of love," and what he described as "a neo-Nazism which is on the rise in the Arab world -- Islamic extremism". His posts sparked fierce debate on social networking sites in Saudi Arabia between his supporters and detractors.
In January, some 500 people, including Saudi intellectuals, signed a petition urging Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, to order the release of Hamad. |