DUBAI: Malaysia on Sunday deported Saudi journalist Hamza Kashgari accused of posting online comments allegedly insulting to Islam and the Prophet Mohammed. Malaysia's Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Kashgari would be repatriated to face the charges. “Malaysia has a long-standing arrangement (with Saudi Arabia) by which individuals wanted by one country are extradited when detained by the other,” Hussein said. The repatriation occurred despite pleas from human rights groups and civil libertarian organizations not to deport Kashgari, who faces possible death sentence for charges of apostasy. A court order had reportedly been issued to stay the deportation, but according to officials in Kuala Lumpur, Kashgari was deported anyway. Kashgari, a columnist from Jeddah, was arrested Wednesday after arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport based on a request made by the Saudi authorities via Interpol, a source told German press agency dpa at police headquarters said on condition of anonymity. The suspect allegedly posted his controversial comments to mark Prophet Mohammed's birthday last week, outraging thousands of people who called for his execution under Saudi law. Kashgari would probably be extradited to Saudi Arabia under a bilateral security arrangement between the two countries, the source said. In Dubai, Saudi blogger and social media activists Abdallah told Bikyamasr.com that this is “part of the continued attacks against individuals who speak up publicly about issues.” He argued that if the Islamic world is to find freedom and justice, “we must be open to ideas we don't necessarily agree with. We are still a long way off from that.” BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/6mieK Tags: Deported, featured, Hamza Kashgari, Islam, Malaysia Section: East Asia, Latest News, Media, Religion, Saudi Arabia
