Saudi journalist faces trial over tweets
Will international pressure change Hamza Kashgari’s fate?
In Saudi Arabia, journalist Hamza Kashgari could face a death sentence for his controversial tweets about the Prophet Mohammed.
On February 4, Kashgari tweeted an imaginary conversation between himself and the Prophet Mohammed, on the Prophet’s birthday. The next day, a Saudi cleric called for apostasy charges against the journalist. Kashgari attempted to flee to New Zealand, but was arrested during a layover in Malaysia and deported to Saudi Arabia, where he now awaits trial.
Social media is giving the Muslim world new platforms to voice their concerns and debate, but is Islam too taboo for online discussion?
In this episode of The Stream, we speak to Ebtihal Mubarak, Saudi journalist and blogger; Muath Aldabbagh, Saudi blogger; and Imam Suhaib Webb, American-Muslim educator and activist.
What do you think? Did Kashgari go too far in his tweets? Send us your thoughts and comments on Facebook or Twitter using hashtag #AJStream.
Here are some highlights of the conversation: