Saudi authorities released the Canadian Imam Shiekh Usama Al-Atar after it had arrested the Iraqi-originated man and beaten him.

Saudi authorities released the Canadian Imam Shiekh Usama Al-Atar after it had arrested the Iraqi-originated man and beaten him.

Al-Atar was arrested in Medina during dawn prayers and held for about 24 hours until he was freed on Monday, The Islamic Human Rights Commission said, adding that the Shiekh planned to continue his pilgrimage.

The London-based group, which spoke to witnesses, said Atar may have been arrested for criticizing the kingdom's handling of uprisings in Yemen and Bahrain.

Massoud Shadjareh, spokesman of the rights group, said the arrest reflected Saudi intolerance toward Muslims who do not follow the country's conservative Wahhabi branch of Islam.

For his part, spokesperson for the Canadian Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, John Babcock, said: "We are always concerned when Canadians are in trouble abroad".
"We made representations to senior Saudi officials and have been in contact with Mr Al Atar and his family and of course we are pleased that he has been released."

The Canadian government had confirmed the arrest on Sunday and a spokesman with the foreign affairs department said its embassy in Riyadh was prepared to provide diplomatic assistance.

Al-Atar, has a PhD in chemistry and he is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Alberta. He travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform the annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage. He was arrested after he was leading a prayer recitation at al-Bakee’ cemetery early.

People who witnessed the incident said angry words were spoken, then things calmed down when a member of the religious police approached Al-Atar, offered to shake his hand and then called out to a group of men at a taxi stand.
They rushed in and began beating Al-Atar, kicking him and attempting to throttle him, the witnesses said.

Medina central police arrived and escorted the Canadian to a car and drove away, according to the witnesses.