Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ould Mkhaitir’s case went to the Nouadhibou court of appeals, which upheld his death sentence, stemming from an article he wrote in 2013 called “Religion, Religiosity and Craftsmen.” In it, he criticized the marginalization of Mauritania’s craftsmen population as well the nation’s caste system. The biggest problem was that he criticized Muhammad, comparing the marginalization of the craftsmen to the “Prophet Mohammed’s treatment of the Jews of the Hijaz.”
He also allegedly challenged the prophet’s decisions during the holy wars. Soon after, the news website removed the article for what it considered to be blasphemous allegations against Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.
The mainstream Forum of Imams and Ulemas subsequently issued a death fatwa against him.
There are no limits to Western leftists’ persistence in denying that there is a problem with Islam. Yet Irshad Manji, herself a leftist, indicates that Islam is the only religion in which it is normal to literally apply barbaric texts dating from the 7th century. She states: “Literalist interpretations of religion are bad in general — but…only in Islam are they the mainstream method of interpretation.”
Indeed, only in Islam is it “normal” to kill apostates, gays, and other infidels, in accord with commands found in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Any genuinely peace-loving Muslim will have compassion toward the millions of victims of Islamic legal norms and join the fight against such barbarism, instead of signing on to the phony “Islamophobia” bandwagon.
“Mauritanian clerics urge for blogger’s death penalty to be applied”, Business Insider, November 13, 2016:
NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) – Muslim clerics in Mauritania on Sunday urged the authorities to execute a blogger who was sentenced to death in 2014 for apostasy after writing a blog post on Islam and racial discrimination.
Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ould Mkhaitir’s article touched a nerve in Mauritania, a West African country with deep social and racial divisions. He was tried for apostasy and received the death penalty despite having repented and saying his article was misunderstood.
According to the U.S.-based Freedom Now rights group who provide Mkhaitir with legal counsel, the blog post appears to have been the first he published. Prior to his arrest he worked as an engineer for a mining company and was not an activist, Freedom Now said on its website.
Mauritania has not applied a death penalty since 1987 but on Sunday, the influential Forum of Imams and Ulemas on issued a fatwa, or Islamic decree, calling for Mkhaitir to be killed….
“We demand that the competent authorities apply the law: kill him and bury him in conformity with the law of God.”
Rights groups like Amnesty International and Reporters without Borders have campaigned for Mkhaitir’s pardon and release.

Mark A says
Nothing surprising about Muslims calling for death sentences or the execution of people they dislike. It happens too often for any of us to surprised by it.
But I have some another question arising from this article:
How are “craftsmen” defined in Mauritania and how are these “craftsmen” being discriminated against?
Can someone enlighten me?
Vlad says
Religion of pieces: One piece of a human here, another piece of the same human over there.
There can be no reconciliation with sub humans.
Ed Lee says
It is the official position of over 180 member countries of the United Nations that they see no value in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Rob says
Try to imagine this headline:
“Cardinal calls for the death sentence of a female lapsed Catholic who wrote a blog criticising Jesus’ failure to insist that a person washes his hands before eating…” (See Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)
Now imagine that this woman is found guilty by the Supreme Court in Austin, Tx; and that she is hanged in the town square for the dual offences of leaving the Catholic Church and for criticising Jesus.
Would there be any outcry or criticism of the government for allowing- or promoting this sentence being carried out?
How is this any different from this situation which the article describes?
Perhaps under the leadership of Donald Trump, we will see a real push-back against such religiously-promoted insanity everywhere; and that there will be IMMEDIATE cessation of all financial aid, trade and diplomacy with states which follow- or promote these barbaric practices; and which teach such nonsense to young children, in schools and at “prayer meetings”.
It’s time the civilised world be held to account for not putting a stop to all religious indoctrination and for every civilised person to insist that we cease doing business with countries who violate human rights.
Put a stop to turning the blind-eye on barbarism and politically-correctness; and call the barbarians out until their power to inflict their bigoted beliefs on others is gone.
Anything less is unacceptable.
The Political Oracle says
This is the very idea that I was trying to get across with my Religion Is Not video on youtube. Our elected officials do not know what religion is. The definition they use is too broad and dangerous as a weapon. Religion Is Not limits what religion cannot be but does not limit what religion is. Religion Is Not has a beautiful logic to it. It will set all religions straight and level the ground for all religions.
gravenimage says
Mauritania: Muslim clerics demand death for blogger who criticized Muhammad’s treatment of Jews
………………………..
This poor man.
Mauritania is such an Islamic sh*thole that an estimated 17% of the population is *enslaved*.
Christianblood says
This man should leave Mauritania now! Along with Saudi Arabia and Sudan, Mauritania
has huge number of slaves and slavery is openly practiced there.
gravenimage says
I hope he gets out.
Slavery never really ended in the Muslim world–and now it is undergoing a horrifying resurgence.
sidney penny says
“Any genuinely peace-loving Muslim will have compassion toward the millions of victims of Islamic legal norms and join the fight against such barbarism, instead of signing on to the phony “Islamophobia” bandwagon.”
Another super comment by Rober Spencer.
This answers a question often asked “What do you want Muslim in America and elsewhere to do”
that is action rather than just saying things without meaning it.
Mike Elmore says
sidney penny, I believe that comment was by Christine Williams, the author of the article.
Beagle says
Often I see people claim there are no moderate Muslims or something along those lines. That is absolutely not true. You can always identify a moderate Muslim by the death sentences they receive.
Angemon says
Mohamed Mkhaitir and the clerics agreed on what islamic texts say about muhammad and racial discrimination. The only difference is that Mkhaitir considers it a *bad* thing and criticises it.
gabi says
Islam, the religion of peace and fraternity. Yeah!
RL Robison says
Incidents like this always make me sad for Muslims whose own religion turns against them for the crime of questioning or proposing moderation. How can a religion which keeps it grips on its members by threat of death, dismemberment of torture ever be moderated? Where is the mercy of Islam’s “Allah, most merciful”? Islam is stuck in the 7th century with no apparent avenue for joining civilization and one has to feel some compassion for its captives.
David says
It’s never really necessary to “Criticise” Mohammed!
Just telling the TRUTH, as recorded in islams own “unholy” texts is enough!
The more you shout the TRUTH, the more ENRAGED these morons get!
Big Mo is nothing but an embarrassment to decent folk everywhere.
But the more this is spread around, the STUPIDER the muslums look! In this day and age, there is just no hiding the fact that THE FOUNDER OF THEIR CULT was a deranged PSYCOPATH!
☺CHEERS!
Frank J. Verderber says
Hey add my name to the Fatwa! Mohammad was a stupid illiterate demon possessed pedophile – so says history. Sometimes the truth hurts – so live with it!
Frank J. Verderber
Russell, Masscahusetts, USA