Latest posts by Mona Kareem
Kuwait: Call to Kill the “Infidel” Twitter User
A Kuwaiti Twitter user has been detained, pending investigation, over a tweet in which he allegedly insulted Prophet Mohammed. The issue is taking a sectarian twist in Kuwait as the Twitter user Hamad Al-Naqi denies the charges, claiming that his account was hacked, while others charge that it is a Shiite attack on Sunni Islam. Meanwhile, a protest was held calling for the Twitter user to be killed for his alleged blasphemy.
Bahrain: Save Bahraini Children From the Regime
The suffering of Bahraini children was the highlight of a Twitter campaign aimed at highlighting how youngsters have fared during the country's one-year uprising. Mona Kareem takes a closer look at netizen reactions.
Bahrain: Massive Rally Against the Regime
A massive march in Bahrain on Friday 9 March, came to renew public demands against the tyranny of the Bahraini regime which has been implicated in the killings, arrests, corruption, oppression and discrimination of citizens, according to a fact-finding mission.
Kuwait: Art Exhibition Shut Down for “Controversial” Content
Kuwaiti artist Shurooq Amin is in shock after her exhibition of paintings was shut down without an explanation. Reports say that men walked into the show, three hours after its opening, and took the paintings down, saying they had received a complaint over the content of the paintings. Netizens react to the censorship of art in this post by Mona Kareem.
Saudi Arabia: Tweeting AlBajady's Hunger Strike
Saudi netizens joined forces last night to tweet about the plight of Mohammed Albajady, a Saudi activist who has been imprisoned for a year with no charges and no fair trial and who has been on hunger strike in protest against his detention for almost two weeks. Mona Kareem charts some of the reactions online.
Bahrain: #Hungry4BH Trends Worldwide
Bahraini netizens, backed by the international community, helped raise the voices of detained political activists on hunger strike, by making their plight a trending topic on Twitter. Mona Kareem reports on the efforts of activists online and on the ground in Bahrain.
Bahrain: Tweeting the Revolution's First Anniversary
February 14 marked the one year anniversary of the Bahrain revolution, which has been severely repressed by the regime backed by the troops of the Gulf Cooperation Council's Peninsula Shield Force. Mona Kareem presents a social media round-up of events of the day.
Kuwait: Parliamentary Election Marred by Violence
Incidents of violence have marked Kuwait's parliamentary elections. One candidate, Mohammed Al-Juwaihel, became the target of angry tribespeople after making discriminatory remarks and his election tent hub was burnt down. Mona Kareem provides a multimedia report.
Kuwait: Stateless Protesters Attacked for Demanding Rights
Arrests, beatings and harassment face protesters championing for the rights of 100,000 stateless in Kuwait, struggling to have the rights to documents, education, health care, employment, and most importantly naturalization. Mona Kareem takes a look at protests over the past few days in Kuwait and the police crackdown that followed.
Bahrain: #OccupyBudaiyaSt Continues
Bahraini protesters have been continuing with their daily protests despite a government crackdown. This none forceful confrontation with protesters has resulted in two deaths and countless injuries since Thursday. Netizens react to the new developments in the country.
Bahrain: A Bloody National Day, a Funeral and More Suppression
On the same day the Bahraini regime celebrated National Day, a funeral procession was due to take place for protester Ali Ahmed Radhi Al-Gassab, who was run over during protests a day earlier. Netizens explain how the funeral was suppressed by government forces.
Bahrain: Twitter User Jailed for 66 Days for Tweeting
The Arab world has a reputation for arresting and torturing bloggers and netizens and Bahrain is no exception. A Twitter user has been tweeting his jail experience over the past few days to share his story with the rest of the world. He says he was jailed for 66 days over tweets.
Saudi Arabia: Netizens Use Online Activism to Draw Attention to Qatif Protests
The month of November marked the return of protests to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia in 2011, as the people of Qatif took to the streets to demand reforms, equality, the release of their detainees, and political freedom. So far, four protesters have been shot dead by security forces.
Kuwait: A New Prime Minister and Detainees Bailed Out
More than two weeks after protesters stormed the Kuwaiti Parliament, the country has a new Prime Minister. Netizens comment on the 'new era,' political action and the detention, hunger strike and release of protesters arrested for breaking into the Parliament. The protesters have been released on bail, pending trial. Here are netizen reactions to the country's latest developments.
UAE: Female Twitter User Rowda Hamed Summoned for Interrogation
Female Twitter user Rowda Hamed, from the UAE, tweeted saying that she has been summoned for interrogation. She is one of the few Twitter users from the country who support five detained activists who recently went on hunger strike.
Kuwait: Protesters Storm the National Assembly
Thousands of angry Kuwaitis stormed the National Assembly building on Wednesday 16 November, after police and security forces clashed with protestors. Kuwait's political sphere has been extremely tense in the past few years, and with the Arab Spring earlier this year, the situation took a new turn.
Kuwait: Video Campaign to Teach Citizens about the Constitution
To mark the 49th anniversary of the Kuwaiti constitution, a group of activists decided to remind citizens of the different clauses of the constitution. Under the theme of Tadry [ar] (Did you know?), Sout Al-Kuwait (Voice of Kuwait) produced six videos, each spanning a few seconds, explaining to citizens six select articles from the constitution.
UAE: Detained Activists Begin Hunger Strike
Five activists held in the UAE since April and currently standing trial for publishing material online, using aliases, have started an open-ended hunger strike to draw attention to their plight and the abuse they are receiving in prison. Mona Kareem checks out netizens' reactions to their cause.
Saudi Arabia: Outrage Over 10 Lashes for Female Driver
Shaima Jastaniya, a Saudi woman who was arrested after driving her car in Jeddah six months ago, has been sentenced to 10 lashes. The two female journalists who reported her punishment have been summoned to appear in court.
Egypt: Homosexuals to Occupy Tahrir on January 1
Egypt's homosexuals have joined forces and intend to march in Tahrir Square on January 1 to demand their full rights in society. The announcement came in a Facebook group which called for the protest. Mona Kareem sums up netizen reactions to the initiative.
Bahrain: Are Police Cars Running Over Protesters on Purpose?
Bahrain has long maintained that it was dealing with unrest according to international law. Netizens have, however, been working around the clock to document human rights abuses committed by the authorities and posting them online for the world to see. In this post, Mona Kareem checks out videos posted online to show attempts by the police to run over protesters. Are police cars running over protesters on purpose?