Turkish writer freed after questioning

Kuala Lumpur: Turkish author and columnist Mustafa Akyol was released from overnight detention Tuesday after questioning by religious authorities over his lectures here.Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph said the Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) interviewed Akyol at a police station in Jalan Travers here this morning for allegedly "preaching" without their permission.

"He's quite distressed and wants to leave as soon as possible", he said.

Jerald said Akyol was moved around last night between police stations and the Jawi office after the Turkish writer was prevented by immigration authorities at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport from boarding a flight to Istanbul.

"He says he did not preach, it was an academic conference. He didn't go to any mosque," said Jerald, when asked what Akyol told Jawi.

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"We want Malaysia to be a thriving academic space where people can discuss and debate.

That definitely is a setback for us."

The organiser of the seminars featuring Akyol, Muslim group Islamic Renaissance Front, said the Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Department had accused Akyol of committing an offence under the Federal Territories Shariah law for teaching about Islam without official credentials from the Federal Territories Islamic Council.

On Sunday, Akyol spoke at a roundtable discussion at the Royal Selangor Golf Club about apostasy and gave a public lecture at the Renaissance Hotel here about the relevance of democracy.

The author of Islam without extremes: A Muslim case for liberty, a 2011 book that argues for Islamic liberalism, was scheduled to speak at another lecture at the Nottingham University's Malaysian campus about "the Islamic Jesus", but it was cancelled last-minute.

PAS and several Muslim groups voiced support for the arrest, saying his views on Islam are controversial and at odds with local Islamic laws.

chairman of Perkasa's Islamic affairs bureau, Amini Amir Abdullah, said: "He once mentioned that shariah was toxic and there was no such thing as a great sin in Islam. This could lead to confusion among Muslims."

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Kamarul Zaman Yusoff of Universiti Utara Malaysia said Akyol's views on religious freedom were "sensitive", adding that he was not qualified to speak on religious matters.

Kamarul agreed that authorities should also act against others, including Indian Muslim preacher Zakir Naik, if they had committed any wrongdoing.

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