Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

[Ma_Mooli]

Re: Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

I think all vocal anti saud pakistanis watch out.. They are out for revenge.. For not supporting them
In yemen. Not wise to visit any time soon.

[phoenixdesi]

Re: Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

@Shamraz_Khan

The guy is a clown, but we cannot let this happen. I hope civil society people go and protest outside of Saudi Embassy and pressure govt to have him released. I don’t agree with much he says or stands for, but I will defend his right to say it. Saudi dictatorship needs to know that they are creating more enemies & not making friend with actions like this.

On positive note…they haven’t beheaded him YET.

i am hearing different versions but can anyone confirm if zaid hamid actually delivered an anti-kingdom and anti-sect speech to a gathering while he was in Saudi? if that is the case, he invited the trouble as he violated suadi law and of-course he will be punished. Yes saudi regime is a dictator regime but no point of lecturing them. Anyone with even the faintest idea about how Saudi Arabia works knows that the kingdom has a zero-tolerance policy where political and religious activities are concerned.They dont listen to anyone and this is what their law is. You just need to respect it to avoid trouble. Afterall, **holocaust denail, **the denial of the systematic genocidal killing of millions of ethnic minorities in Europe (including Jews) by Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s, is illegal in 14 European nations and we respect it.

But if he has been punished based on his blog writings and speeches in pakistan, then this is the worst kind of state terrorism bu saudia as they are taking advantage of the fact that mecca and median are in saudi and Pakistani govt shd use all of its power to save zaid and bring him back home.

[Shamraz_Khan]

Re: Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

@Jolie

What’s really shocking and eye opening about this whole episode is that self proclaimed desi (pseudo) liberals who were protesting and crying about Saudi blogger’s punishment are absolutely celebrating Zaid Hamid’s arrest.

Really? Most of us “liberals” have defended ZH and his right to free speech. I havnt seen anyone celebrating his arrest.

Why we must support Zaid Hamid against Saudi Arabia

A big test of the values that you believe in lies in defending the rights of someone you don’t agree with.

Zaid Hamid is a commentator with radical views which entwine conspiracy theories with religious traditions, which repulse many liberals, centrists, and conservatives alike. He was recently arrested and sentenced to eight years and a thousand lashes. There is no doubt that every supporter of the Caliphate such as Hamid should be criticized, but that does not take away their right to free speech, even if they are demanding something that would kill the freedom to exercise it.

But in this case, the real opponent is Saudi authoritarianism and the consistent abuse of Pakistani citizens at the hands of their abusive state that is supposedly a part of the “Muslim brethren.” Not only have Saudi Arabians barbarically beheaded dozens of Pakistanis for minor alleged offenses, such as drug trafficking, but this time has arrested a citizen for making an inconvenient speech.

Of course, you cannot really expect to criticize Saudi Arabia on their soil and get away with it. Most of us have not heard what the content of his speech was, and it is easy to assume that it would somewhat comprise of hate speech, or at least call for rebellion. Nevertheless, the harsh punishment would sound strange to many in Pakistan, or would it?

But why go out of our way to defend someone whose views the world is better off without?

Because free speech is a value greater than any partisan differences, and also because it is time to show critics and defenders of authoritarianism that free speech is a far superior ideology than theocracy and fascism.

This is why the arrest of Zaid Hamid in Saudi Arabia is a tremendous opportunity to show the traditional opponents of free speech why they are speaking against their own fundamental rights, and why free speech is such an important value to defend.

While you cannot really expect most Muslim conservatives and Pakistani nationalists to even understand, let alone appreciate and value the idea of free speech, but it is important to show them that this value applies to everyone, no matter what their ideological or philosophical position is.

This is why it is of utmost importance that the proponents of free speech, whether liberal or otherwise, should drop their cynicism for a while and support Zaid Hamid in his hour of trouble. It is also important to be concerned for his personal safety, especially because he is a Pakistani citizen, and to call out Saudi Arabia for its brutal authoritarianism and barbaric, medieval penal code.

Months ago I wrote about Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, who is still in the custody of the Saudi authorities for speaking his mind about freedom and democracy. Many more Pakistani friends spoke in support of Badawi. Therefore, it is only appropriate that we should speak about this case with the same passion. This should remind everyone that people for free speech are the ones consistent in their positions.

It is not hard to see for anyone, whether the proponents of democracy or the Caliphate, that Zaid Hamid committed no crime and does not deserve such punishment.

It is evident that speech is not a crime. And that is why this is the best opportunity to demonstrate this fact to the people opposed to the propagation of free speech, who dismiss it as a Western idea.

This is precisely why blasphemy is not a crime and should not be considered a crime by any entity. People in the Caliphate camp should remember that.

[phoenixdesi]

Re: Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

@Shamraz_Khan

Really? Most of us “liberals” have defended ZH and his right to free speech. I havnt seen anyone celebrating his arrest.

Why we must support Zaid Hamid against Saudi Arabia

A big test of the values that you believe in lies in defending the rights of someone you don’t agree with.

Zaid Hamid is a commentator with radical views which entwine conspiracy theories with religious traditions, which repulse many liberals, centrists, and conservatives alike. He was recently arrested and sentenced to eight years and a thousand lashes. There is no doubt that every supporter of the Caliphate such as Hamid should be criticized, but that does not take away their right to free speech, even if they are demanding something that would kill the freedom to exercise it.

But in this case, the real opponent is Saudi authoritarianism and the consistent abuse of Pakistani citizens at the hands of their abusive state that is supposedly a part of the “Muslim brethren.” Not only have Saudi Arabians barbarically beheaded dozens of Pakistanis for minor alleged offenses, such as drug trafficking, but this time has arrested a citizen for making an inconvenient speech.

Of course, you cannot really expect to criticize Saudi Arabia on their soil and get away with it. Most of us have not heard what the content of his speech was, and it is easy to assume that it would somewhat comprise of hate speech, or at least call for rebellion. Nevertheless, the harsh punishment would sound strange to many in Pakistan, or would it?

But why go out of our way to defend someone whose views the world is better off without?

Because free speech is a value greater than any partisan differences, and also because it is time to show critics and defenders of authoritarianism that free speech is a far superior ideology than theocracy and fascism.

This is why the arrest of Zaid Hamid in Saudi Arabia is a tremendous opportunity to show the traditional opponents of free speech why they are speaking against their own fundamental rights, and why free speech is such an important value to defend.

While you cannot really expect most Muslim conservatives and Pakistani nationalists to even understand, let alone appreciate and value the idea of free speech, but it is important to show them that this value applies to everyone, no matter what their ideological or philosophical position is.

This is why it is of utmost importance that the proponents of free speech, whether liberal or otherwise, should drop their cynicism for a while and support Zaid Hamid in his hour of trouble. It is also important to be concerned for his personal safety, especially because he is a Pakistani citizen, and to call out Saudi Arabia for its brutal authoritarianism and barbaric, medieval penal code.

Months ago I wrote about Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, who is still in the custody of the Saudi authorities for speaking his mind about freedom and democracy. Many more Pakistani friends spoke in support of Badawi. Therefore, it is only appropriate that we should speak about this case with the same passion. This should remind everyone that people for free speech are the ones consistent in their positions.

It is not hard to see for anyone, whether the proponents of democracy or the Caliphate, that Zaid Hamid committed no crime and does not deserve such punishment.

It is evident that speech is not a crime. And that is why this is the best opportunity to demonstrate this fact to the people opposed to the propagation of free speech, who dismiss it as a Western idea.

This is precisely why blasphemy is not a crime and should not be considered a crime by any entity. People in the Caliphate camp should remember that.

did he make the speech in saudi arabia? if so, he will face the music as it is one of the most serious crimes in saudia and it is against the saudi law. there is no point of telling saudis about human rights or freedom of speech. do they really care? plus they will quite conveniently remind you that this is their law and zaid has violated it (if he made the speech in saudi)…case closed.

As i said before, afterall **holocaust denail **is illegal in 14 European nations and we respect it. dont we?

But if he has been punished based on his blog writings and speeches in pakistan or any other country but not saudi,** then this is the worst kind of state terrorism by saudia** as they are taking advantage of the fact that mecca and medina are in saudi arabia and people have to come to their country for their religious obligations. if that is the case then it is a very serious issue. Pakistani govt shd use all of its power to save zaid and bring him back home.

[SID_NY]

Re: Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

Really? Most of us **"liberals" have defended ZH **and his right to free speech. I havnt seen anyone celebrating his arrest.

TRUE that!

All of the liberals including Jibran Nasir from civil rights movement, Marvi Sirmed, Beena Sarwar etc are very strongly condemning this and rightly so. Now one must remember that these are people whom Zaid Hamid clearly used to label as "Indian agents" and at some points even said words like they should have their heads chopped, as he used to say very often about anyone he wanted to oppose.

[Shamraz_Khan]

Re: Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

[kakaballi]

Re: Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

What if he were arrested in Europe or North America?

There would have been thousands and thousands of 'protestors' out in the streets burning and destroying Pakistani property.

[ajazali]

Re: Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

@kakaballi

What if he were arrested in Europe or North America?

There would have been thousands and thousands of 'protestors' out in the streets burning and destroying Pakistani property.

then liberals would not have come up in his defense either :p

[Shamraz_Khan]

Re: Zaid Hamid arrested in Saudi Arabia

Zaid Hamid returns to Pakistan after KSA arrest - Pakistan - DAWN.COM