BBC notices the PA jailing an atheist

From the BBC:

One of Mr Hasayin's postings was called Why I left Islam. He goes on to strongly criticise the religion for not allowing free-thinking and also mocks and insults the Prophet.

Some of his essays posted on a website called The Light of the Mind are detailed and clearly written by someone with a strong academic background. He also identified himself as a Proud Atheist.

As to exactly why Mr Hasayin has been arrested, the Palestinian Authority is not saying.

A spokesman for the Palestinian security services, Gen Adnan Damiri, said he could not comment on an ongoing investigation.

"Insulting religion is a crime under Palestinian law," says Naser al-Rais, a lawyer with the Al Haq human rights organisation based in Ramallah.

Asked to comment on the case, Mr Rais said: "I respect Mr Hasayin's right to have these beliefs but he also has to respect the law, there are limits to freedom speech."

Mr Rais says Mr Hasayin could face a prison term of between three months and three years.

Nice to see that the BBC is catching up to things I wrote about two and a half weeks ago, that the AP noticed a few days later, and the LA Times mentioned a few days after that.