A Saudi court has sentenced hardline Pakistani commentator Zaid Hamid to eight years in prison and 1,200 lashes for criticizing Saudi Arabia's government, media reports said. "As per the Saudi law, Zaid is set to be publicly lashed 50 times a week for 20 weeks," Pakistani diplomatic sources told News International. Pakistani foreign ministry, however, denied knowledge of the sentence given to Zaid Hamid, reported Dawn. Saudi authorities also denied consular access to him, Hamid's supporters claim.
Hamid, a self-styled defense analyst, was arrested during a private visit to Saudi Arabia with his wife, reported Express Tribune. He was tried in a Saudi court and was indicted.
Pakistan's foreign ministry sources stated that Hamid was arrested last month for making an alleged provocative speech in Madina criticizing Saudi government over the Yemen conflict.
"Our embassy in Riyadh has informed us that Mr. Zaid Hamid was arrested about two weeks ago. Since then, the embassy has been working with the local authorities to get consular access," Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said, according to Pakistan Today. "Due to the efforts of the embassy, his wife was able to talk to him. Again, due to the efforts of the embassy, his wife will be able to meet with him on June30."
His supporters have immediately launched a social media campaign for his release as hashtag #WeStandOnHamid began trending on Twitter.
Syed Zaid Zaman Hamid is a political commentator, defense analyst and TV anchor, known for his hardline opinion on security and politics, according to ARY News. He was also accused of being on the payrolls of the Pakistan's spy agency - Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).
Hamid, in his TV programmes, claimed that a nexus between India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Israel's Mossad and the U.S.' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was responsible for the destabilisation of Pakistan, according to Asia News International.
