Malaysia repatriates Saudi journalist accused of insulting Islam

Feb 12, 2012, 7:01 GMT

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia on Sunday repatriated a Saudi journalist accused of posting online comments allegedly insulting to Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.

Hamza Kashgari, 23, a Jeddah-based newspaper columnist, was escorted by Saudi authorities on a flight back to Saudi Arabia, a source at the police department said.

Earlier in the day, 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.

Kashgari fled Saudi Arabia to Malaysia on Tuesday after a storm of outrage erupted when he published a fictitious conversation with the Prophet Mohammed on his Twitter account.

On February 8, an official Saudi religious body declared him an apostate.

Hishammuddin said Kashgari was detained Thursday in the departure hall of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at the request of Saudi authorities.

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