This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011.
On March 30, 2011, Bahraini blogger Mohamed El-Maskati, better known in the blogosphere as “Emoodz” was arrested. According to Reporters Without Borders, El-Maskati's arrest came after threats from a member of the royal family occurred on Twitter, where El-Maskati is known as @emoodz 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 to the Arabic version of Reporters Without Borders’ report, commenting:
Afaf Al-Dawar (@Pearl14Feb) states:
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:
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 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, 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 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.
14 comments
I miss emoodz and his news , he is the sound of freedom
Emoodz is a victim of the nasty repression that was for so long hidden beneath a benign exterior of oil wealth and privilege. Blogs like this are great in drawing attention to his plight – there will be many others I fear. Pearl Square has not seen its last bloodshed.
un like libiya Bahrain needs from the American Admin only a telephone call to stop the killing of innocent lives everyday.
Mahmood was one of the innocents who has a dream to live his life with his family with everybody in country as equal, Justice for everybody, Freedom and an elected Government i was following emoodz and hoping his voice will be heard and justice is coming and his family, childern will live as equal with everybody else, and we will build a fair and just society for our childrens.
@BarakObama i wish you and your two beatiful daughters nice and happy dreams tonight and every night, just remember me and my childern will be having the foreign killing machine fears awaiting for tomorrow or any minute masked armed mens breaking all doors and windows terrorizing everybody, holding two nights ago a gun to the head of my grang mother a 95 years sleeping 3 Am in the morning.
at the end we thank you @Obama for the sweets from American Embassy, my mother still shaken and crying thanks for the American advance humane technolgy, tear gases, and Battons, thanks again.
Our @Emmodz life at risk his pgysical and mental safety is in great risk.