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Monday, February 13, 2012

Hamza Kashgari could face death penalty after he insulted Prophet Muhammad


A newspaper columnist could be the first person to face the death penalty for remarks he made on Twitter after he was arrested for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad. Writer Hamza Kashgari fled his native Saudi Arabia for Malaysia after some Islamic clerics called for him to be put to death for his tweet. But the 23-year-old was arrested as soon as he arrived in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on Thursday and was deported back to Saudi Arabia yesterday despite protests from human rights groups. Mr Kashgari's controversial tweet caused uproar with more than 30,000 responses and a number of death threats. Insulting the prophet is considered blasphemy in Islam and is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia. It is not a capital offence in Malaysia. More than 13,000 people joined a Facebook page called, 'The Saudi People Demand the Execution of Hamza Kashgari'. The posting on the prophet's birthday revealed the writer's contradictory views about his faith. He apologised and deleted the message, but left the country fearing his life was still in danger. Mr Kashgari said in an interview that he was being made a 'scapecoat for a larger conflict' over his comments. 

'I view my actions as part of a process towards freedom. I was demanding my right to practice the most basic human rights – the freedom of expression and thought – so nothing was done in vain,' he added. The arrest raised questions about Interpol's involvement. The Malaysian authorities said Mr Kashgari was detained at the airport on his arrival in the country following a request by the international police cooperation agency on behalf of Saudi Arabia. Jago Russell, chief executive of the British charity Fair Trials International, said yesterday that Interpol should not have been involved in the case, which is 'clearly of a religious nature.' 

Pakistan: Court martial of Brig. Ali khan & for other officers started


Court Martial of Brig Ali Khan and four other officers of the army started on charges of links with banned organization. According to a private TV channel Pakistan Army has decided to court martial Brigadier Ali Khan for their alleged links with a banned organization; meanwhile the proceedings of court martial has been started in Sialkot garrison. Brigadier Ali Khan was detained six months ago. He was deployed in GHQ Rawalpindi. He was alleged to groom a particular mindset in the army and also had contacts with banned organisation Hizb-ul-Tehrir in this regard. According to the sources, summary of evidence has been prepared against the brigadier and court of inquiry has also been ordered. According to sources, the Court Martial proceedings against Brig Ali Khan and four other officers started at the Sialkot Garrison on charges of having links with banned organization. The Court Martial was ordered after completion of summery of evidence against the army officers. Meanwhile the ISPR has not rectified or denied the news story; however former head of JAG branch of Pakistan army Col (retd) Muhammad Akram when contacted by BBC, he said that he has been contacted by the family of Briagdier Ali Khan for counseling; however he added that he is not his lawyer at the moment, adding that the family members have informed him that the charge sheet and summary of evidence has been provided to Ali Khan.  Akram expressed his willingness for being hired as the brigadier’s lawyer, adding that proceedings of court martial are stated against the accused in few days after the issuance of charge sheet. 

Pakistan: SC to frame charges against Gilani today


Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will appear before Supreme Court on Monday to face contempt charges that could decide his fate and plunge the country into a fresh political turmoil over his refusal to reopen graft cases against the President. Dealing a major blow to PM Gilani, the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on Friday had rejected his appeal against framing of contempt charges over his failure to act on its repeated orders to revive cases of alleged money laundering against Asif Ali Zardari in Switzerland. Gilani personally appeared in the court when it took up the contempt case on January 19 and said the government could not reopen the cases against the President because he enjoys complete immunity in Pakistan and abroad. Refusing to buy his arguments, the court told Gilani that he had no option but to write to Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against Zardari as no one was above the law. Insiders in the ruling Pakistan People s Party today said the premier is expected to stick to this position when he appears in court again tomorrow. If Gilani is convicted, he could be imprisoned for six months and face possible removal from office after being disqualified from holding public office for five years. However, legal experts pointed out that the President had the power to pardon him after his conviction. The apex court has been pressuring the government to reopen the cases since December 2009, when it struck down the National Reconciliation Ordinance, a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf that benefited Zardari and over 8,000 others. The PPP has been reluctant to act because top leaders believe any action on the cases in Switzerland could give the Supreme Court an opportunity to interpret the constitutional provision related to presidential immunity. "Once the Swiss cases are reopened, then the court could say it wants to review the President s immunity. And all this will pave the way to launch a  get Zardari  movement on legal grounds," a PPP leader, who did not want to be named, told PTI. At the same time, the PPP s top leadership has considered the possibility that Gilani may have to be replaced if the apex court acts against him. Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah and Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar have emerged as possible contenders for the premier s slot if Gilani is disqualified, insiders said. There is a section in the PPP which believes that any action taken by the Supreme Court against Gilani could boost the party s standing, especially in the premier’s home province of Punjab, at a time when its fortunes are at a low. "We are fully convinced that Gilani s sacrifice will give a boost to the party and help lay a strong launch pad for the next election," a presidential aide said. In an indication of the thinking within the PPP, Gilani told a public meeting in Punjab yesterday that now the party s leaders, and not the workers, would make "sacrifices". Such fears have prompted some of the PPP s allies in the ruling coalition to suggest that the government should act on the court s orders, sources said. During the hearing on Gilani s appeal, the court had said that $60 million that were allegedly laundered will come back to Pakistan only if the letter is written to Swiss authorities. Gilani is expected to take the PPP s allies into confidence about his strategy for the contempt proceedings in the apex court, party insiders said. Within the PPP, no leaders have differed with the top leadership s decision not to reopen the cases in Switzerland, they said.

New Maldives President expands cabinet


The new president of the Maldives is expanding his Cabinet to strengthen the coalition government ruling the Indian Ocean nation. A presidential spokesman says six members from four political parties will be sworn in Sunday as ministers in the government led by President Mohammed Waheed Hassan. Former president Mohamed Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party, however, has not responded to an invitation to join the Cabinet. The Maldives has been rocked by political turmoil for nearly a week, since Nasheed resigned and was replaced by his vice president. Nasheed claims he was ousted in a coup, a charge the new president denies. A senior U.S. diplomat who met with Maldivian leaders on Saturday said the Maldives wasn’t ready for early elections as a way out of its political crisis.