Vishnu Dev Radhakrishnan, an Indian engineer, spent more than 5 years in a Saudi jail. Why? He was accused of blasphemy and hurting the sentiments of people. Where was the crime committed? His crime was a social media post. Thus, his case was a controversial trial under Saudi Arabia’s stringent blasphemy laws and ‘misuse of social media’. Let’s talk about free speech in Muslim nations.
Draconian Blasphemy Laws of Saudi Arabia
Vishnu Dev Radhakrishnan is an engineer by profession. He became the first Indian to be tried for blasphemy in Saudi Arabia. The charges levelled against him were blasphemy, misusing social media, and allegedly hurting religious and national sentiments.
Vishnu Dev Radhakrishnan who was sentenced to 10 yrs in Saudi Arabia for a Twitter spat is finally coming home after an early release. Acc the Vishnu's father he was set-up by some Kerala Muslims working in Saudi who hated Vishnu and Hindus. https://t.co/tk4mK9HFH8
— Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN) (@HinduHate) December 22, 2023
- What did he post about?
- Well, the man was exercising his freedom of speech by expressing remarks on Prophet Muhammad.
- Why did he need to post about the Prophet?
- Similar to Nupur Sharma, the man was enraged about a debased online exchange on Lord Shiva on Twitter. His post on Prophet Muhammed was in response to a twitter acquitance’s tweet on Hindu gods.
- Who was instrumental in his release?
- Social media helped keep the issue alive, while the BJP’s local cell helped the family find the right legal help.
Freedom of Speech in Islamic Nations
"Radhakrishnan tells TNM that Vishnu Dev did not deny the charges agnst him. “He told me that he made a mistake n tweeted those lines as a retaliatn to the woman’s statements, which abused his god."
Got carried away with the hate rhetoric done in India?https://t.co/M9MN5jQLV8
— BG 🖤 (@joBeeGeorgeous) April 18, 2020
Unlike many other Islamic nations, Vishnu Dev’s father claims his son was not ill-treated in jail. However, the entire incident raises concerns about the vague nature of blasphemy laws in Islamic nations.
Many Muslim netizens use these vague-grey-zone laws to provoke online debates which can be potentially misused to frame an innocent. Is the freedom of speech stifled in Muslim nations? Maybe. At least, these nations have a lot of very dos and don’ts about religious conversations. However, mostly these rules apply only to the protection of Islam. The rules to prevent blasphemy of other religions do not exist in Islamic nations.
#savevishnudev At last my son is saved with the help of@NoufMarwaai and advocate Samar Sufiani.I am thankful to these ladies of Saudi and the authorities of Saudi Govt. All these couldn't have been possible without the help of my friend Sandeep.@Rajeev_GoI @VMBJP@SwarajyaMag
— Radhakrishnan Nair.V (@rkpoickad) December 19, 2023
Additionally, Vishnu Dev’s case exemplifies the BJP’s stance on freedom of speech. The party and its various local chapters uphold every citizen’s fundamental freedom of expression. Thus, instances like Vishnu Dev’s case highlight that Bharat stands leaps and bounds ahead of Muslim nations in terms of the freedoms of its visitors and citizens.
While Vishnu Dev’s release is undoubtedly a triumph for free speech, his ordeal sheds light on the urgent need for reform in Islamic countries where blasphemy laws are wielded as tools of suppression. Let this be a learning moment for detractors of BJP and Bharat. Firstly, the BJP does not abandon its people. Secondly, Muslim nations do not allow the same levels of freedom as Bharat. Lastly, Sanatana Dharma is the only religion in the world where freedom of speech is not just safeguarded but celebrated.