NOT SO FAST

Saudi Tweeter Could Get Repatriated

Malaysian authorities detain Hamza Kashgari.

A Saudi writer who was attempting to seek asylum in New Zealand was detained by Malaysian authorities on Friday in Kuala Lumpur and could be returned to his home country—despite the fact that he could face the death penalty for his tweets. Twenty-three-year-old Hamza Kashgari, who fled Saudi Arabia on Sunday, is wanted by authorities in his home country after tweets he sent out last weekend about the prophet Muhammad. Kashgari received upwards of 30,000 death threats—his home address listed on YouTube—after he stated that he “shall not bow to [Muhammad]” as well as other comments deemed blasphemous by religious conservatives. Kashgari’s Twitter account, @Hmzmz, was shut down following the debacle.