Mauritanian blogger yet to be freed after serving sentence for blasphemy

Cheikh Ould Mohamed Ould Mkheitir, a young Mauritanian blogger sentenced to death in 2014 for blasphemy but whose sentenced was later commuted to two years in prison hasn’t yet regained freedom.

He should have left jail in November 2017. The blogger’s article was considered insulting to the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, after questioning choices made by the Prophet during the jihads fought in the 7th Century. Also in the article, he condemned the mistreatment of black Mauritanians who are allegedly discriminated against.

But Cheikh Ould Mohammed had argued that in all, his article was meant to criticise the use of religion to justify discrimination. The case, in the north-western city of Nouadhibou, divided Mauritania, the Islamic republic with many conservative muslims calling for his execution.