Kuwaiti Blogger Arrested
Kuwaiti blogger and publisher Zayed Al Zaid, of the online news organization Alaan, was sentenced to one month in jail for an article he wrote a year ago entitled “Corrupted Speaking about Corruption.” The article pointedly criticized former Prime Minister Abdul Mohsen Midaji, for rampant corruption, and expressed surprise regarding Midaji’s willingness to champion causes that speak against corruption. The Kuwaiti Court of Appeals considers Al Zayed’s article as damaging to the dignity and reputation of the former Prime Minister. Al Zayed is known to be a courageous journalist and is one of the prominent critics against corruption and abuses in Kuwait. On October 2009, while attending a forum organised by the “Kuwaiti Action Umbrella,” Al Zayed was attacked by an unknown assailant and hit in the face. Al Zayed was not in Kuwait during his trial, but on a trip for work. He tweeted:
تلقيت خبر حكم السجن اليوم وأنا خارج الكويت في مهمة عمل ،،وأولماقلت : " قدر الله وماشاء فعل "
— زايد الزيد (@zayed_alzaid) February 20, 2013
“I got news today of a prison sentence. I'm outside of kuwait on a work mission. I said right away that this is God’s will.” Activists on Twitter were furious at Al Zayed’s unjust sentence, and showed their support. Journalist Mohamad Al Washihi tweeted:
الأخ زايد الزيد له دور في مكافحة الفساد لا ينكره إلا جاحد، ولن يستطيعوا كسر عزيمته ولا زرع الإحباط في قلبه. فمثله لا ينكسر.#سجن_زايد_الزيد
— محمد الوشيحي (@Alwashi7i) February 21, 2013
“Brother Zayed Al Zayed has a big role in fighting corruption. No one can deny his role except people who are ungrateful. No one can break his objective, no one can plant frustration in his heart. People like him, are unbreakable.” Obaeid Al Wasami tweeted:
زايد الزيد كاتب معارض سخّر قلمه للتصدى لأخطر ملفات الفساد، لذلك لم يكن مستغرباً ملاحقته باسم القانون الذي تحول إلى أداة قمع وابتزاز وإهانه !
— د.عبيد الوسمي (@Dr_alwasmi) February 20, 2013
“Zayed Al Zayed is a writer and dissident. He uses his pen to counter the most dangerous corruption. Therefore, I wasn’t surprised to see him being tracked by government officials, and turned into a tool of repression and insult.”
