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Bahrain: Blogger “Emoodz” Detained

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Bahrain, Digital Activism, Freedom of Speech, Human Rights, Protest

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:

Muhammed El-Maskati's public Facebook profile photo. [6]

Muhammed El-Maskati's public Facebook profile photo.

تدين مراسلون بلا حدود أيضاً حملة القمع الممارس ضد المدوّنين البحرينيين. http://ow.ly/4sSRt #freeemoodz @emoodz #bahrain
Reporters Without Borders condemns the crackdown on Bahraini bloggers.

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!”

Tweeted threat from Mohd Al-Khalifa, a member of the Bahraini royal family to El-Maskati's supporters before his account was deleted. [12]

Tweeted threat from Mohd Al-Khalifa, a member of the Bahraini royal family to El-Maskati's supporters before his account was deleted.

This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011 [1].