Yemeni journalist in Saudi Arabia gets 15 years for apostasy

[danieldemol]

'Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for the immediate release of Ali Abulohoom, a Yemeni journalist based in Saudi Arabia who has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for tweets that, according to the Saudi authorities, constituted apostasy.


Abulohoom has been detained since 23 August and was sentenced on 26 October. Based in Saudi Arabia since 2015, he worked as executive director of the Alwadi TV channel and as a presenter at Yemen Times radio.


RSF has learned that Abulohoom was initially detained on the pretext that he owed work to an employer. After trying unsuccessfully to contact him, his wife was finally told that he was the subject of a criminal investigation. After ten days, she was allowed to visit him but only for very short visits. His initial interrogations were conducted without a lawyer being present.


According to the ten-page sentence, which RSF has seen, Abulohoom was convicted of having a (now suspended) Twitter account that he used to spread “ideas of apostasy, atheism and blasphemy.” The authorities identified him as the account’s owner through the linked email account.'

Source: Yemeni journalist in Saudi Arabia gets 15 years for apostasy | Reporters without borders

In an ideal world Ali should never have been arrested, the Saudi authorities should compensate him for wrongful arrest.

In my opinion.

 

[Twilight Hue]

The idea of religious police acting with impudence is unimaginable to me.

It keeps people in the dark ages and demonstrates the uselessness of an alleged powerful God that is obviously, in reality, crippled hopelessly beyond all repair and completely rendered incapable of meting out its own punishments.

 

[Aštra’el]

Obey the law. Do not be an apostate in places where the laws forbid apostasy, unless you are prepared to face the consequences.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Obey the law. Do not be an apostate in places where the laws forbid apostasy, unless you are prepared to face the consequences.

"Do not be an apostate" sounds exactly like "do not reject Jesus" or "do not be a Muslim." People don't choose what convinces them and what doesn't; most of my ex-religious friends wanted and tried to stay believers in religion but simply couldn't convince themselves any of it was true.

Saudi Arabia's law is both inconsistent and inhumane--as are blasphemy laws in general. I would look to criticize those and point out what's unreasonable about them instead of just stating that people should obey whatever the law was even if that meant being unsafe and discriminated against, including in their own countries.

 

[sun rise]

The idea of religious police acting with impudence is unimaginable to me.

It keeps people in the dark ages and demonstrates the uselessness of an alleged powerful God that is obviously, in reality, crippled hopelessly beyond all repair and completely rendered incapable of meting out its own punishments.

Too many believe that God wants exactly what they want only more so. The crimes of men are the crimes of men.

 

[Revoltingest]

The "religion of peace" is also the "religion of tolerance".

 

[Estro Felino]

The "religion of peace" is also the "religion of tolerance".

Also Jordan Brown* (Giordano Bruno) was burnt at the stake for "spreading ideas against the Bible" ...
At least this poor man was just jailed...that's progress.
An anecdote is that when Rome was taken from the Pope, the king of Italy erected a statue dedicated to Bruno in Campo di Fiori, right when he had been burnt 3 centuries before.
A great slap in the Pope's face (who felt resented...it was so satisfying).



*I love to anglicize Italian names