Twitter is virtually enforcing Pakistan's notorious blasphemy law, contends an author who recently was informed by the social-media company of a complaint that his book analyzing the minds of Islamic terrorists violated the Muslim-majority nation's notorious statute.
"It's just absolutely surreal and Kafkaesque that a social-media giant in the free world is trying to enforce blasphemy laws -- or, for now, carrying the message," said Jamie Glazov, the author of "Jihadist Psychopath."
It was a tweet promoting his book that drew the complaint. Twitter then informed Glazov of the complaint and suggested he hire a lawyer.
Referring to the Pakistani Christian mother now in hiding after being jailed for a decade on blasphemy charges, Glazov said Twitter "basically is "saying it's on the side of those masses in Pakistan rioting on the streets that want the blood of Asia Bibi."
Is is also possible that Twitter is acting out of fear, trying to avoid the kind of terrorist reprisal experienced by the Paris magazine Charlie Hebdo?
"There are always layers," Glazov said, noting he addresses the "Stockholm Syndrome" phenomenon in his new book.Â
Many in the West, he said, will "ingratiate themselves with these totalitarian entities, because they want to avoid the punishment."
"So they try to out-radicalize their potential executioners."
'Protecting a beautiful society'
Glazov, the editor of David Horowitz's FrontPage Magazine and host of "The Glazov Gang" show, left the Soviet Union in 1972 at the age of 9. His parents were both dissidents who spoke out against human-rights abuses by the communist regime during the Leonid Brezhnev era.
Glazov said his effort to expose the threat of supremacist Islam is rooted in his "love for America and freedom."
"I dedicate myself to protecting a beautiful society, an experiment like this that cherishes individual liberty," he said.
Glazov said his family "escaped the Soviet Union for a reason, but now the Soviet Union has come to us."
"We don't want communism or Shariah law here."
'Official correspondence'
Glazov received the notice from Twitter on Dec. 22. He said he has heard nothing from Twitter since then.
Â
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Twitter Legal <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, Dec 22, 2018 at 7:27 AM
Subject: Twitter Receipt of Correspondence
To: @JamieGlazov <[email protected]>
Hello,
We are writing to inform you that Twitter has received official correspondence regarding your Twitter account, @JamieGlazov.
The correspondence claims that the following content is in violation of Pakistan law:Section 37 of PECA-2016, Section 295 B and Section 295 C of the Pakistan penal code
https://twitter.com/JamieGlazov/status/1035666429486321664
@JamieGlazov
Twitter has not taken any action on the reported content at this time. We are only writing to inform you that content posted to your account has been mentioned in a complaint.
This notice is not legal advice. You may wish to consult legal counsel about this matter. If you believe we have contacted you in error, please let us know by replying to this email.
For more general information on legal requests, please refer to the following Help Center article:Â https://t.co/lrfaq.
Sincerely,
Twitter
In a column for FrontPage, Jihad Watch editor Robert Spencer pointed out that Section 295B of Pakistan's criminal code criminalizes "defiling the Holy Quran" and carries a penalty of life imprisonment.
Section 295C mandates that those who "by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by any imputation innuendo, or insinuation, directly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable for fine."
Spencer noted that colleague Pamela Geller also received a notice from Twitter that she was in violation of Pakistani law. Geller sent out a tweet that noted correctly that Al Arabiya had criticized Linda Sarsour as a Muslim Brotherhood operative.
The wife of a man in a Saudi prison for "insulting Islam" also received the notice, Spencer said. And Twitter notified Canadian columnist Anthony Furey and reformist imam Mohammed Tawhidi that they have violated Pakistani law.