This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011 [1].
On March 30, 2011, Bahraini blogger Mohamed El-Maskati, better known in the blogosphere as “Emoodz [2]” was arrested. According to Reporters Without Borders [3], El-Maskati's arrest came after threats from a member of the royal family occurred on Twitter, where El-Maskati is known as @emoodz [4] as well.
On Twitter, Bahraini residents and friends from around the world are calling for El-Maskati's release.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (@BahrainRights) tweets a link [5] to the Arabic version of Reporters Without Borders’ report, commenting:
Afaf Al-Dawar (@Pearl14Feb) states [7]:
Mohammed Almaskati @emoodz is a Bahraini blogger who has been arrested for expressing his opinion #FreeEmoodz #Bahrain #feb14
Also on Twitter, Muhammed Abdulla (@mabdulla88) writes [8]:
I surely consider @emoodz as one of the best sources of news in Bahrain, Now he's in prison and we all want him free #FreeEmoodz
@Zanoob11 shares a video [9] recorded by El-Maskati back in 2007:
In the ten-minute video, El-Maskati discusses blogging and Islam, switching back and forth between English and Arabic.
El-Maskati's sister, @Moooly85, tweeted on April 4 [10], her brother's fifth day in prison:
Day 5: it's been 5 days since they arrested my brother ! #FreeEmoodz
Prominent blogger Mahmood Al-Yousif (@Mahmood), who was detained the previous week, has expressed his support [11] as well:
I miss the free spirit of my friend @emoodz and look forward to shaking his hand again soon. I know he will be free. #FreeEmoodz
Reporters Without Borders has noted that Mohd Al-Khalifa, the member of the royal family accused of threatening El-Maskati on Twitter, tweeted threats to El-Maskati's supporters before deleting his account:
Khalifa meanwhile continues on Twitter to threaten anyone calling for Makati’s release: “#FreeEmoodz anyone that’s living in Bahrain and is supporting the terrorist emoodz, will have his IP address taken and will get arrested!”
This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011 [1].