Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mkhaitir
Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mkhaitir (Arabic: محمد الشيخ ولد امخيطير ) (born in 1986) is a political prisoner in Mauritania. He is most well known for being sentenced to death for apostasy after writing an opinion editorial critical of Muhammad. He currently sits on death row in Mauritania after his appeal to the Mauritanian Supreme Court upheld his sentence, sending the case back to a lower court.[1] Human rights groups expressed concern over Mkhaitir's situation, noting that he contracted Malaria in prison. Despite saying shahada in court and repeatedly apologizing, the supreme court upheld his death sentence; this goes against article Article 306 of Mauritania penal code which states that apostates who repent are to be spared the death penalty. Upon taking his appeal to the Supreme Court, protestors gathered to demand his execution.[2][3][4][5] If his sentence is carried out, he would be the first person executed in Mauritania since 1987. [6]
See also
- Raif Badawi- Also imprisoned for "Insulting Islam"
References
- ↑ "CNN Arabic - رغم تقديمه لتوبته.. مطالب في موريتانيا بإعدام كاتب بتهمة "الإساءة للرسول"", CNN Arabic. (ar-AR)
- ↑ Mohammed Shaikh Ould Mohammed Ould Mkhaitir | Freedom Now (en-US).
- ↑ In Mauritania, blogger sentenced to death for apostasy - Committee to Protect Journalists (en).
- ↑ "Millions of people rallied to the support of Raif Badawi – who will", The Independent, 2015-08-21. (en-GB)
- ↑ "In Mauritania, a blogger faces the death penalty for insulting Islam", Newsweek, 2016-12-19. (en)
- ↑ "Mauritanian clerics urge for blogger's death penalty to be applied", Reuters, 2016-11-13.
