Turki Al-Hamad has been censored and threatened with death

In a Hardtalk interview on 19 June Tim Sebastian talks to Saudi Arabian author and academic, Turki Al-Hamad.

Click here to watch the full interview

Saudi Arabia's religious establishment holds immense power in the country, and is quick to punish those who dare to speak out.

Turki Al-Hamad is a highly respected author and academic who wrote a novel that was quickly banned in his home country.

He is currently the subject of four fatwas and has received numerous death threats.

What kinds of threats did he receive, and who was behind them? Tim Sebastian asks him.

Recorded June 13th 2002 on location in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 03:30 GMT, 08:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 18:30 GMT and 23:30 GMT.

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 03:30 GMT and 22:30 GMT