{"items":[{"item":{"name":"Abbass Ould Brahim","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/abbass-ould-braham.jpg","status":"Released","date_from":"2009-03-16","date_to":"2009-03-18","background":"

<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abbass-ould-brahim","country":"Mauritania","lat":"19.603953","lon":"-11.074219"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdallah Zouari","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/abdallah_zouari.jpg","status":"Released","date_from":"2009-09-15","date_to":"2009-09-15","blog_url":"http:\/\/citizenzouari.wordpress.com\/","campaign_url":"http:\/\/www.nawaat.org\/portail\/2005\/02\/04\/solidarite-avec-le-journaliste-abdallah-zouari\/","background":"

Tunisian blogger and former political prisoner Abdallah Zouari<\/a> was arrested<\/a> on 15 September 2009 by plainclothes agents in the southern city of Zarzis.<\/p>\n

During the eight hours he was detained, Zouari<\/a> was asked to disclose the passwords of his email accounts and interrogated about his most recent report<\/a> published the day before on the banned Tunisnews<\/a> website.<\/p>\n

Mr Zouari was questioned about members of human rights groups who\nvisited him in the last seven years and his media interviews Mr Zouari\nwas warned to stop making statements that could tarnish the image of\nTunisia, and threatened with a  smear campaign featuring fake\npornographic video to damage his reputation.<\/p>\n

Since his release in 2002, after 11 years in jail, Mr Zouari remains\nconfined to internal exile in a rural district 500 kilometers from his\nfamily's home in Tunis. His confinement continues despite a court order\nissued on August 2nd, 2009<\/a>, which purportedly ended seven years of house arrest.<\/p>\n

Mr Zouari is under round-the-clock police surveillance, prevented from accessing the Internet and prohibited from using local Internet caf\u00e9s<\/a>.\nHe has been arrested several times for protesting the banishment and\nmistreatment and for communicating with the outside world through the\nInternet.<\/p>\n

Abdallah Zouari is blogging at Citizen Zouari\u202c<\/a>. His blog is among tens of other critical blogs<\/a> that are blocked in Tunisia.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdallah-zouari","city":"Zarzis","country":"Tunisia","lat":"33.503900","lon":"11.112900"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdel Hafez Ahmed Mohammed Moojab","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Abdel_Hafez_Moojab.jpg","status":"Threatened","date_from":"2010-08-22","date_to":"2010-08-22","blog_url":"http:\/\/hafeed849412.maktoobblog.com\/","background":"

Journalist and blogger<\/a> Abdel Hafez Ahmed Mohammed Moojab says Yemeni Military Police beat him on August 22, 2010, as he covered police beating the crowd with sticks during the distribution of Ramadan breakfast (Iftar) meals. Moojab has been reportedly<\/a> beaten while in custody, held for few hours inside the building of Yemen Economic Corporation; his camera was also seized. The incident took place in the city of al-Hadida, west of the capital Sanaa where the governmental Yemen Economic Corporation<\/a> had begun handing out Iftar meals for poor people.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdel-hafez-ahmed-mohammed-moojab","city":"Al-Hadida","country":"Yemen","lat":"14.833333","lon":"44.100000"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdel Hakim Abdel Rahman Nasr","status":"Released","date_from":"2009-03-05","date_to":"2009-03-11","background":"

<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdel-hakim-abdel-rahman-nasr","country":"Sudan","lat":"14.774883","lon":"30.410156"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdel Monem Mahmoud","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Abdel-Moneim-Mahmoud.jpg","status":"Released","date_from":"2007-04-15","date_to":"2007-06-01","blog_url":"http:\/\/ana-ikhwan.blogspot.com\/","campaign_url":"http:\/\/freemonem.cybversion.org\/","background":"

The Egyptian blogger and journalist Abdel-Monem Mahmoud was arrested on Sunday 15 April 2007<\/a> as he was leaving Egypt. Monem was about to begin a trip abroad to report on the \u201cstate of freedom\u201d in several Arab countries for the TV channel El Hiwar, which employs him as their Cairo correspondent. He was arrested when he was already aboard the aircraft. These events took place two days after special forces paid a visit to his family home<\/a> in an attempt to arrest him. <\/p>\n

Absent from his home at the time of the visit, Monem was informed of the intimidation and threats by his parents. A friend reports that Monem expressed concern about his own safety, as well as that of his parents, who were being threatened daily through visits by the security forces. Monem told his friend that he was thinking of turning himself in to the authorities, but, on the advice of his lawyers, decided against this course of action as he did not know the exact nature of the charges being made against him. <\/p>\n

Thus far, no official charges have been brought against Momen. (More about Monem's case on his campaign blog<\/a>)<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdel-monem-mahmoud","country":"Egypt","lat":"28.381735","lon":"32.519531"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdel Rahman Ayyash","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/abdelrahman_ayyach.png","status":"Released","date_from":"2009-07-22","date_to":"2009-07-28","blog_url":"http:\/\/2-b-egyptian.blogspot.com\/","campaign_url":"http:\/\/freeayyash.blogspot.com\/","background":"

<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdel-rahman-ayyash","city":"Cairo","country":"Egypt","lat":"30.050077","lon":"31.245117"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdel Rahman Fares","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Abdel_Rahman_Fares.jpg","status":"Unknown","date_from":"2009-04-05","date_to":"2009-04-05","blog_url":"http:\/\/abdofares.blogspot.com\/","background":"

<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdel-rahman-fares","country":"Egypt","lat":"28.577446","lon":"32.167969"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdelghaffar Guiza","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/GUIZA_Abdelghaffar.png","status":"Released","date_from":"2003-02-10","date_to":"2006-02-27","campaign_url":"http:\/\/www.zarzis.org\/","background":"

Tunisian authorities arrested eight young men in the city of Zarzis in the South of Tunisia. They were accused of terrorism. The evidence was a set of files downloaded from the internet. Authorities accused the them of having formed a terrorist group, holding meetings without a license, theft, and preparation of explosives. On 16 April 2004, the court sentenced six of the youth to 19 years of imprisonment each. A seventh defendant was was accused of being the leader of the group and sentenced to 26 years. The eighth defendant, who was under age, was sentenced to 25 months imprisonment. Following appeals the sentences were reduced.<\/p>\n

A presidential pardon on 27 February 2006 resulted in the release of six of the youth of Zarzis. However, they continue to face harassment (The Initiative For an Open Arab Internet<\/a>).<\/p>\n

<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdelghaffar-guiza","city":"Zarzis","country":"Tunisia","lat":"33.503900","lon":"11.112928"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdellatif Ouiass","status":"Under Arrest","date_from":"2010-03-28","date_to":"2010-03-28","blog_url":"http:\/\/www.worldbestheadofstate.com\/","background":"

Police\narrested\n blogger Abdellatif Ouaiss last \nSunday, after storming his family home on Friday evening in Temara, searching it and\nseizing his laptop. Abdellatif was presented to the Public Prosecutor on\n Tuesday.<\/p>\n

His family was not sure of the charges against him, but according to another source close to him, Abdellatif signed the police report under duress, and was arrested due to an article published in his English-language site<\/a> in which he criticized the ten-year rule of King Mohammed VI.<\/p>\n

<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdellatif-ouiass","city":"Temara","country":"Morocco","lat":"33.926667","lon":"-6.912222"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdelsamad Haydour","status":"Under Arrest","date_from":"2012-02-13","date_to":"2012-02-13","background":"

On February 13, a court in the Moroccan city of Taza sentenced 24 year-old\n student Abdelsamad Haydour to 3 years in jail and a fine of USD 1,200 \nfor criticizing the king of Morocco in a video<\/a> [ar] posted on YouTube. According to the official state news agency<\/a> [fr], Mr. Haydour is accused of \u201cattacking the sacred values of the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to one Moroccan news website<\/a>\n Mr. Haydour had no legal assistance during the hearing and the Court \ndid not appoint a lawyer to defend the accused in accordance with the \nMoroccan law.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdelsamad-haydour","city":"Taza","country":"Morocco","lat":"34.223889","lon":"-4.006667"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/kareem-amer.jpg","status":"Released","date_from":"2006-11-06","date_to":"2010-11-16","blog_url":"http:\/\/karam903.blogspot.com\/","campaign_url":"http:\/\/www.freekareem.org\/","background":"

Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman, better known by his Internet pseudonym Kareem Amer, is a native of Alexandria, Egypt. He grew up in a very religious family and attended the Al-Azhar religious school system his entire life. He began to rebel against the religious extremism he perceived in his school and began to express his opinions on a blog and the site \"Modern Discussion.\" On October 23, 2005 Kareem posted an article on his blog, in which he heavily criticizes the Islamic religion. He attacks it as an enemy of peace and freedom, expressing his thoughts after the 2005 riots against Alexandrian Copts. Three days after publishing the text, Kareem was arrested by the Egyptian security forces the first time, which illegally held him in custody for 12 days. During this time, Kareem underwent physical and mental torture and his books and writings were confiscated. After strong international protests, he was released. Four months later, the government escalated the case. On April 17, 2006 Kareem was expelled from Al Azhar university because of his anti-islamic writings and further criticism of his professors. Al Azhar also informed the security forces about these steps, which may have caused his detention on November 6, 2006. This time, Kareem was not released, but held in detention pending trial until November 22, when he was charged with the following crimes: <\/p>\n

* Spreading data and malicious rumors that disrupt public security;* Defaming the president of Egypt; <\/p>\n

* Incitement to overthrow the regime with hatred and contempt; * Incitement to hate \u201cIslam\u201d and breach of the public peace standards; <\/p>\n

* Highlighting inappropriate aspects that harm the reputation of Egypt and spreading them to the public. <\/p>\n

After the first trial, the case was repeatedly delayed, mostly because of the State Security Service\u2019s questions. Finally, the trial began on January 25, 2007. On February 22, Kareem was sentenced to three years in prison for defaming Islam and another year for defaming president Mubarak by judge Ayman al-Akazi. With this decision, Kareem Amer was the first Egyptian blogger to be jailed for his public writings. From the beginning of the case, Kareem has been supported by his friends of freekareem.org, who organized a petition, international media attention, and demonstrations in several cities all over the world. On November 9, 2007 rallies were held in a dozen cities on three continents to publicize the first anniversary of Kareem\u2019s detention.<\/p>\n

Kareem has been released on November 16, 2010 after spending 1471 days in prison.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdul-kareem-nabeel-suleiman","city":"Alexandria","country":"Egypt","lat":"31.156408","lon":"29.904785"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdul Malik Ghazali","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Abdul_Malik_Ghazali.jpg","status":"Threatened","date_from":"2010-08-24","date_to":"2010-08-24","blog_url":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kestrel83","background":"

In response to the growing criticism of the handling of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG)<\/a> and to the food poisoning scandal that affected 26 YOG volunteers on 15 August, 2010, the 27 year-old Abdul Malik Ghazali posted an angry comment on his Facebook account<\/a> and on the \"I hate the Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee<\/a>\" Facebook page saying that it is time to \"burn\" Singapore's Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, together with the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and called on his fellow citizens to \u201crally around and vote them out.\u201dDespite the fact that he was using a pen-name on Faceboook, Abdul Malek was arrested at his workplace on August 24, 2010, for \u201cinciting violence and public disorder\u201d. It's sill not clear how the identified him.<\/p>\n

According to AsiaOne News<\/a>, a statement by the police confirmed the arrest and said that \u201che was released on bail pending further investigation.\u201dAbdul Malik said in comments published Wednesday by The New Paper that \"the comment is a metaphor\". \"I did not intend for it to be taken literally. I did not mean for someone to actually burn,\" he said.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdul-malik-ghazali","city":"Bedok","country":"Singapore","lat":"1.324658","lon":"103.932381"}},{"item":{"name":"Abduljalil Alsingace","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Abduljalil_Alsingace.jpg","status":"Under Arrest","date_from":"2010-08-13","date_to":"2010-08-13","blog_url":"http:\/\/alsingace.katib.org","campaign_url":"www.bahrainonline.org","background":"

Abduljalil Alsingace, <\/a>a PHd in Engineering, teaching in university of Bahrain, Chairman of Human right division in HAQ<\/a> movement, an online activism and bloggers, arrested in 13th August 2010 in his way back to Bahrain from UK- London after given speech in House of Lords about the human right situation in Bahrain, based on offecial security statement that Abduljalil was a part of a movement arranged for violence in the state, his blog (alfaseela<\/a>) was blocked since 2009  in Bahrain due to his articles critical of the government.<\/p>\n

Alsangace is disabled and uses a wheelchair; he was also unable to take his medicine with him.<\/p>\n

HRW<\/a> and CPJ<\/a> issued a statement asking for urgent release of Alsangace.<\/p>\n

On 1 October 2011, Alsingace was sentenced to 15 years in prison.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abduljalil-alsingace","city":"Manama","country":"Bahrain","lat":"26.237823","lon":"50.529921"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdulla Mohsen","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/abdulla_mohsen.jpg","status":"Released","date_from":"2007-12-21","date_to":"2008-07-13","blog_url":"http:\/\/bahraineyes.blogspot.com\/","background":"

Abdulla Mohsen is a Bahraini blogger and activist.<\/p>\n

On December 17, 2007, protesters held a demonstration at Jidd Haffs to commemorate \u201cMartyr\u2019s Day,\u201d a day the Bahraini opposition announced to honor the memorial of the torture victims on the authority-inaugurated \u201cKing\u2019s Ascension Day.\u201d One participant, 31 year-old Ali Jassem, was brought to a hospital and died a few hours later, apparently due to tear gas exposure fired by the police. The authorities stated that heart failure was the cause of death (Mahmood\u2019s Den \u00bb \u201cMartyr\u2019s Day\u201d commemoration death<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Between December 21 and 28, 2007, members of the Special Security Forces began a wave of arrests that targeted more than 60 activists. As of January 8, 2008, 28 remained in detention (Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights \u00bb URGENT APPEAL Bahrain: Arbitrary detention \/ Judicial proceedings \/ Ill-treatments \/ Tortur<\/a>). Among them was Abdulla Mohsen, who was arrested at his house on December 21 (Nido \u00bb Abdulla Mohsen<\/a>). The detainees are accused of participating in riots on the funeral of Ali Jassem. At a meeting in memorial of Ali Jassem, about 500 protesters vandalized public and private property, set fire to garbage bins and blocked roads. The demonstrators also set Jidd Haffs suq on fire and damaged a private car.<\/p>\n

Officers intervened to restore order and prevent rioters, who were using Molotov cocktails, iron rods and stones to attack police, from committing further acts of violence. A policeman sustained severe injuries in the clashes and rioters set a police vehicle on fire after stealing weapons from it (Gulf Daily News \u00bb Ill prisoner\u2019s family \u201ckept in the dark\u201d<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Abdulla Mohsen is accused of stealing weapons from a police jeep and then burning the vehicle (Nido \u00bb Abdulla Mohsen<\/a>). His sister claims that he wasn\u2019t even at the scene when the crime occurred (Gulf Daily News \u00bb Ill prisoner\u2019s family \u201ckept in the dark\u201d<\/a>).<\/p>\n

During the time in prison, Mohsen developed a serious kidney problem, according to his sister. He was sent to a hospital for medical treatment (Gulf Daily News \u00bb Ill prisoner\u2019s family \u201ckept in the dark\u201d<\/a>).<\/p>\n

On February 24, 2008, a new hearing took place regarding 18 persons involved in the December demonstration. The latter were only given 15 minutes to talk to their lawyers before the hearing. Although the hearing was supposed to be open, the police only allowed a few people to get into the judicial \u201ccomplex.\u201d In the course of the session, seven of the accused pleaded not guilty of charges of \u201cillegal gathering\u201d as well as \u201ctheft of a weapon and ammunition and possession of weapon and ammunition without permission\u201d that had been brought against them in relation to the demonstration held on December 17, 2007.<\/p>\n

The defendants further complained about the acts of torture and ill-treatment they endured while in detention, such as being prevented from sleeping, tied up for long periods and refusal of medical attention. Some of them reiterated that they were sexually abused.<\/p>\n

Lawyers representing the men urged the court to release them on bail or grant them access to a doctor and medical check-up. Judge Shaikh Mohammed bin Ali Al Khalifa dismissed these requests. A new hearing was set for March 17, 2008 to allow defense lawyers time to get prepared. After the hearing, the defendants were allowed to meet their relatives briefly, before being transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Centre, in Muharraq (Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights \u00bb URGENT APPEAL Bahrain: Arbitrary detention \/ Judicial proceedings \/ Ill-treatments \/ Tortur<\/a>).<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdulla-mohsen","country":"Bahrain","lat":"26.194877","lon":"50.548096"}},{"item":{"name":"Abdulsalam Baroudi","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/AbdulsalamBaroudi.jpg","status":"Threatened","date_from":"2007-06-11","date_to":"2007-06-11","blog_url":"http:\/\/bilad-13.maktoobblog.com\/","background":"

Abdulsalam Baroudi<\/a> is the first Algerian blogger<\/a> to be sued by Tlemcen\u2019s Director of Religious Affairs<\/a>, who has accused the blogger of posting defamatory material on his personal blog on February 20, under the title \u201cAl Sistani Appears in Tlemcen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On June 11, Baroudi was fined 10,000 dinars (US$148). The court has acquitted him from the charge.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abdulsalam-baroudi","city":"Tlemcen","country":"Algeria","lat":"32.916485","lon":"4.394531"}},{"item":{"name":"Abed Tavancheha","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Abed_Tavancheha.jpg","status":"Released","date_from":"2007-11-27","date_to":"2007-12-05","campaign_url":"http:\/\/sostavanche.blogfa.com\/","background":"

Abed Tavancheha, an Iranian leftist student and blogger, was sentenced to eight months in prison for his political activities.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/abed-tavancheha","country":"Iran","lat":"32.916485","lon":"52.910156"}},{"item":{"name":"Adnan Hajizada","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Adnan_Hajizada.jpg","status":"Released","date_from":"2009-07-08","date_to":"2010-11-18","blog_url":"http:\/\/ol-az.blogspot.com\/","campaign_url":"http:\/\/www.videopetition.blogspot.com\/","background":"

<\/p>

On 8 July, 2009, Adnan Hajizada<\/a>, a video-blogger and co-founder of the the OL! Youth Movement<\/em><\/a>, and Emin Milli<\/a>, co-founder of the Alumni Network<\/em> grassroots youth movement, were seriously beaten by unidentified persons while dining with a group of other civil society and youth activists in a downtown Baku restaurant<\/a>. After reporting the incident to police, the two activists were instead detained for 48 hours. However, despite international outcry, the two activists were placed in pre-trial detention<\/a> while a criminal case was opened against both. <\/p>\n

By the time of their final court hearing on 11 November 2009, Hajizada and Milli had been held in prison for over four months. Local human rights activists expressed concern about the conduct of the trial<\/a> which eventually ended with a sentence of 2 years in prison for Hajizada and 2.5 years for Emin Milli.The Presidency of the European Union<\/a>, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe<\/a> (PACE), Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe<\/a> (OSCE), Human Rights Watch<\/a> and Reporters Without Borders<\/a> condemned the verdict.<\/p>\n

On 21 November, a petition of appeal against the verdict was submitted by the two men's lawyer. Amnesty International declared both men to be prisoners of conscience<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Like Milli, Hajizada is a prominent member of civil society and very well known among youth activists for his Youtube videos (look up: fuserlimon<\/a> and olmedia<\/a>). Some of these videos had an educational character in order to educate foreigners about Azerbaijan better while others carried subtle political messages (a video on imported donkey which cost $41,000<\/a> or the flowers on lampposts in the streets of Baku<\/a>). He was also the main force behind several OL! online and offline campaigns.<\/p>\n

On 18 November 2010, despite earlier petitions for an early release, an Appeal Court in Baku ruled that Adnan Hajizada should be set free on conditional release<\/a>. The video blogging youth activist spoke to journalists afterwards saying that he would still continue in his activities, including making video posts on YouTube. Along with many of his supporters, Hajizada also reminded people that Emin Milli remains in prison.<\/p>\n

The next day, Emin Milli was also released. <\/p>\n

Global Voices covered the detention, trial and imprisonment<\/a> of Adnan Hajizada and Emin Milli in its Azerbaijan section<\/a>. The hashtag #EminAdnan<\/a> was used on Twitter.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/adnan-hajizada","city":"Baku","country":"Azerbaijan","lat":"40.405131","lon":"49.812012"}},{"item":{"name":"Ahmad Abu al-Khair","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/ahmad-abu-al-khair-2.png","status":"Released","date_from":"2011-03-23","date_to":"2011-03-23","blog_url":"http:\/\/ahmadblogs.net\/","campaign_url":"http:\/\/is.gd\/pz8MdD","background":"

Abu al-Khair is veteran blogger who started writing in 2005. His blog \u0645\u0644\u062a\u0642\u064a\u0627\u062a \u0623\u062d\u0645\u062f Ahmadblogs<\/em> covers a plethora of subjects ranging from book reviews to comments on recent uprisings in the Arab World. He is a co-founder of the popular Syrian blogs aggregator Almudawen, and an administrator at Ektob, a blogging platform. Abu al-Khair has a B.A. in Islamic Studies and Arabic. He specializes in media, and according to his Facebook profile he's interested in alternative media and citizen journalism.<\/p>\n

He was arrested on February 20, 2011 and released four days later; he was then arrested again on March 23, 2011.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/ahmad-abu-al-khair","city":"Damascus","country":"Syria","lat":"33.513000","lon":"36.292000"}},{"item":{"name":"Ahmad Abu Khalil","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/aabukhalil.jpg","status":"Under Arrest","date_from":"2009-07-22","date_to":"2009-07-22","blog_url":"http:\/\/bayarek.blogspot.com\/","background":"

On July 22nd, 2009, Egyptian state security forces broke into Ahmad's house and confiscated his books. The security forces did not inform his family about accusations or charges or where he was taken. He is most likely being held in Nasr City State Security headquarters.<\/p>\n

Ahmad, who blogs at Al- Bayareq (lanterns), identifies himself as an \u201cIslamist.\u201d<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/ahmad-abu-khalil","city":"Cairo","country":"Egypt","lat":"30.031055","lon":"31.245117"}},{"item":{"name":"Ahmad al-Faqih","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Ahmad-al-Faqih.jpg","status":"Under Arrest","date_from":"2010-01-01","date_to":"2010-01-01","blog_url":"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZoPGSCbOu0g","background":"

According to Arab News<\/a>, the 27-year-old Saudi, Ahmad al-Faqih, has been arrested in January for making and publishing a humoristic and sexually charged<\/a> video on Youtube<\/a> and has been charged with morality crimes<\/a>. The young man was impersonating a police officer and flirting with a person off-camera.<\/p>\n

The video depicts a young Saudi man dressed in a police uniform inside a vehicle flirting with the man holding the camera. He asks the cameraman for his driver\u2019s license and offers \u201ccomfort.\u201d<\/p>\n

At one point, he waves around what appears to be a real handgun. Later in the approximately two-and-a-half-minute video on YouTube, he lifts up his shirt and rubs his chest. The video quickly spread online and through SMS until police detained both men involved in the act. Attempts have been made to block the video from being viewed in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

According to Police Lt. Nawaf Bouq, who told Arab News<\/a>, the young man is facing three charges: One is for homosexuality; the other for general security; and the third is for impersonating a police officer.<\/p>\n

On March 22nd, 2010, Pinkpaper.com<\/a> reported that Ahmad al-Faqih was sent to jail for a year, fined $1,330, and will be lashed 1,000 times for appearing in a gay-themed video.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/ahmad-al-faqih","city":"Jeddah","country":"Saudi Arabia","lat":"21.543486","lon":"39.172989"}},{"item":{"name":"Ahmad Hassan Bassiouny","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/ahmad_hassan_bassiouny.jpg","status":"Under Arrest","date_from":"2010-11-05","date_to":"2010-11-05","blog_url":"http:\/\/is.gd\/hH4zs","background":"

Ahmed Hassan Basiouny is facing a military trial<\/a> this month under case number 4405\/2010 after creating a group on facebook<\/a>. He is charged with disclosing military secrets on the internet, thus is under military trial and accused by the military prosecution<\/a> for: \u201cBroadcasting secrets of defense via the Internet, and publishing news and information related to the Armed Forces of Egypt by creating a website titled Packing and Recruitment Management in Egypt and answering questions of youth applying to the recruitment\u201d.<\/p>\n

The group Bassiouny created is named the Administration Of Military Recruitment And Mobilization<\/a>, after the military authority responsible for receiving the new soldiers and orienting them. Good to note that the military service<\/a> in Egypt is mandatory for men, they may be exempted or defer it in certain conditions and according to specific terms, but in all cases, every Egyptian male has to handle his status of military service through this administration.The group includes information about prerequisites for military service, documents needed for recruitment, submission dates, deadlines and other formalities, all this information is available on the press and some of them are already online. Bassiouny was just making it easier to his peers to have everything in one page. The group has now approximately 1800 members. And he clearly stated that his group is \u2018unofficial and voluntary\u2019.<\/p>\n

On November 30th, 2010, the military court sentenced Ahmad to 6 months imprisonment for broadcasting secrets of defense on Facebook.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/ahmad-hassan-bassiouny","city":"Cairo","country":"Egypt","lat":"30.064742","lon":"31.249509"}},{"item":{"name":"Ahmad Mostafa","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/AhmadMostafa.jpg","status":"Under Arrest","date_from":"2010-02-25","date_to":"2010-02-25","blog_url":"http:\/\/hazel2eyes.jeeran.com\/","background":"

Ahmad Mostafa, an engineering student at the University of Kafr el-Sheikh, is the first Egyptian blogger to stand before a military court because of his blogging. Ahmad wrote on his blog Maza Asabak ya Watan<\/em> (What Weent Wrong With You oh My country?!) about a student from the War School, who was expelled and his dad asked to sign a statement saying: \"my son was not able to adapt to the military life<\/em>\". <\/p>\n

According to Mostafa's blog post<\/a>, which only quoted members of the expelled student's family, a rich man who wanted to have his son join the school but couldn't find a place for him, maneuvered for this place and then succeeded to replace his son with the expelled Mostafa.<\/p>\n

He was transferred to the military attorney who decided to keep him in custody for 4 days in order to resume the investigation, and to send him to the military court in Cairo on February 28th, 2010, as he is accused of: \n 1- defaming the Egyptian armed forces. 2- shaking the trust of people on the armed forces. 3- publishing false news.<\/p>\n

According to Al-Masry Al-Youm<\/a>, Mostafa admitted, during the hearing (february 28th, 2010) that \"he wrote the blog entry but refused to disclose his sources for the story, making him legally responsible for its contents.\"<\/p>\n

\u201c[My source] is afraid that the issue will reach the press, but I decided to publish it here anyway,\" Mostafa wrote on his blog before telling the former student's story. \"If it reaches the press, it will circulate fast.\u201d<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/ahmad-mostafa","city":"Kafr el-Sheikh","country":"Egypt","lat":"31.111900","lon":"30.936100"}},{"item":{"name":"Ahmad Saad Abou Domah","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/doma.jpg","status":"Under Arrest","date_from":"2009-02-10","date_to":"2009-02-10","blog_url":"http:\/\/ikhwan-poet.maktoobblog.com\/","background":"

<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/ahmad-saad-abou-domah","country":"Egypt","lat":"28.268262","lon":"32.519531"}},{"item":{"name":"Ahmad Zaid-Abadi","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Ahmad_Zaid-Abadi.jpg","status":"Under Arrest","date_from":"2009-06-15","date_to":"2009-06-15","blog_url":"http:\/\/www.roozonline.com\/","background":"

According to the CPJ<\/a>, Zaid-Abadi, a well-known journalist who writes a weekly column for Rooz Online<\/a>, a Farsi and English reformist news Web site, was arrested in mid-June in Tehran. Zaid-Abadi<\/a> is also the director of the Organization of University Alumni of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a supporter of the defeated candidate Mehdi Karroubi. <\/p>\n

He is kept in a very bad situation even compared to other political prisoners based on many reports. In prison, he went on a hunger strike that was broken by force by security forces.<\/p>\n

In December 2009, and according to the Committee of Human Rights Reporters<\/a>, Ahmad has been condemned to 6 years imprisonment, 5 years exile and lifetime prohibition from social and political activities.<\/p>\n

On Dec. 17, 2009, Zeidabadi won World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award for 2010<\/a>.<\/p>","permalink":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/blogger\/ahmad-zaid-abadi","city":"Teheran","country":"Iran","lat":"35.696216","lon":"51.422945"}},{"item":{"name":"Ahmed Ismael","portrait":"http:\/\/threatened.globalvoicesonline.org\/sites\/default\/files\/ahmed_ismael.jpg","status":"Deceased","date_from":"2012-03-31","date_to":"2012-03-31","blog_url":"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/z0o0m1?feature=watch","background":"

On March 31 Ahmed was shot on his lower abdomen in the village of Salmabad, an industrial area on the edge of Manama, Bahrain's capital. Hours later, he was announced dead. Bahraini Ministry of Interior announced him dead as a result of a single bullet wound.<\/p>\n

According to eyewitnesses, Ahmed was holding his camera when he was shot. The killer was in a civil car. Ahmed was not an ordinary protestor. He was an incredible citizen journalist and videographer. Ahmed paid his life as a price for uploading videos of security forces violations and Bahraini peaceful protestors\u2019 bravery. Here are some videos he uploaded on Youtube<\/a>:<\/p>\n