Ali Abdulemam
{{Short description|Bahraini blogger}}
File:Nabeel Rajab (left), Ali Abdulemam (middle) and Abdulhadi Alkhawaja (right) in a pro-democracy march on 23 February.jpg (left) and Abdulhadi Alkhawaja (right) taking part in a pro-democracy march in 2011]]
Ali Hassan Abdullah Abdulemam ({{langx|ar|علي حسن عبد الله عبد الامام}}), widely known as Ali Abdulemam ({{lang|ar|علي عبد الإمام}}) is a Bahraini liberal blogger and contributor to Global Voices who is the founder of Bahrain Online, a popular online forum and pro-democracy news website,{{cite web|url=http://www.itp.net/581861-bahrain-shuts-down-two-news-websites |title=Bahrain shuts down two news websites |publisher=ITP.net |date=22 September 2010 |access-date=8 December 2011}} and a member of the research and advocacy group Bahrain Watch.[https://bahrainwatch.org/about.php Bahrain Watch 'About Us' page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420080611/https://bahrainwatch.org/about.php |date=2014-04-20 }}, accessed 13 May 2014 Although he went into hiding in March 2011{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/05/escape-from-bahrain-ali-abdulemam-is-free/275746/ |title=Escape From Bahrain: Ali Abdulemam Is Free |last=Halvorssen |first=Thor |publisher=The Atlantic |access-date=11 May 2013 |date=10 May 2013}} to escape the Bahraini Government's crackdown on protesters, he was convicted in absentia for plotting to overthrow the Government, and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Global human rights organizations are unconvinced of Abdulemam's guilt and have voiced opposition to the persistent censorship and obstruction of journalists in the region. In 2013, Abdulemam escaped to the UK where he was swiftly granted political asylum.
Life
=Bahrain Online=
Abdulemam started Bahrain Online as an anonymous blog in 1998, but revealed his identity later in 2002. The site rapidly became one of Bahrain's most popular and featured contributions to forums from members of the Bahraini opposition. In late 2002, the government of Bahrain ordered the national internet service provider, Batelco, to block access to the site, which was hosted in the US. Contributors and readers were able to access the site by using censorship circumvention tools.{{cite news|last=Higgins |first=Andrew |url=http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/270 |title=Royal Flush: After High Hopes, Democracy Project In Bahrain Falters |agency=Bahrain Center for Human Rights |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |date=11 May 2005 |access-date=8 December 2011}}
In February 2005, Bahraini authorities raided Abdulemam's home in Jidhafs while Abdulemam was at work. When he learned of the raid, Abdulemam turned himself into authorities to face charges of "inciting hatred of the government".{{cite web|author=Bahrain Center for Human Rights |url=http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/270 |title=Wall Street Journal: Royal Flush: After High Hopes, Democracy Project In Bahrain Falters | Bahrain Center for Human Rights |publisher=Bahrainrights.org |date=2005-05-11 |access-date=2011-12-08}} He and his web team were released after 15 days in custody.{{cite web|url=http://freeabdulemam.wordpress.com/ |title=Free Blogger Ali Abdulemam | الحرية للمدون البحريني علي عبد الأمام |publisher=freeabdulemam.wordpress.com |access-date=8 December 2011}}{{cite web|last=Birnbaum |first=Ben |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/14/bahrain-shiites-fear-arrests-detention-torture/?page=2 |title=Bahrain continues crackdown on Shi'ite opposition |publisher=The Washington Times |date=14 September 2010 |access-date=8 December 2011}}
=2010 arrest and torture=
In August 2010, Abdulemam was arrested by Bahraini authorities, accused of "spreading false information". He was imprisoned from September 4, 2010, until late February 2011.{{cite news| url=http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2010/10/world/gallery.detained.bloggers/flashxml/index.xml |title=Detained bloggers| work=CNN}} Reporters Without Borders reports that he was denied a lawyer and fired from his work at Gulf Air. His arrest has led to protests from human rights groups across the Arab world. The government of Bahrain accused him in statement released by the state-run Bahrain News Agency of trying to subvert the regime.[http://english.bna.bh/?ID=89474] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100910003208/http://english.bna.bh/?ID=89474 |date=September 10, 2010 }} and he was charged with "spreading false information"{{cite web |url=http://www.layalina.tv/publications/review/PR_VI.19/article7.html |title='Blogospheric' Pressure in Bahrain |publisher=The Layalina Review |date=23 September 2010 |access-date=8 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929145622/http://www.layalina.tv/publications/review/PR_VI.19/article7.html |archive-date=2011-09-29 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|last=Birnbaum |first=Ben |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/14/bahrain-shiites-fear-arrests-detention-torture/ |title=Bahrain continues crackdown on Shi'ite opposition |publisher=The Washington Times |date=14 September 2010 |access-date=8 December 2011}} After his release, Abdulemam spoke to Al Jazeera about torture he experienced while in government custody.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB2DeZBgTEk&feature=player_detailpage#t=106s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/zB2DeZBgTEk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Bahrain portion of iRevolution on CNN June 19, 2011 |date=21 June 2011 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=8 December 2011}}{{cbignore}}
=2011 disappearance and sentencing in absentia=
Three weeks after his release from custody on February 23, 2011, Abdulemam went missing.{{cite web|url=http://freeabdulemam.wordpress.com/2011/07/17/bahrain-leading-blogger-ali-abdulemam-sentenced-to-15-years-in-prison-along-with-other-human-rights-defenders/ |title=Bahrain: Leading blogger Ali Abdulemam sentenced to 15 years in prison, along with other human rights defenders |publisher=freeabdulemam.wordpress.com |date=17 July 2011 |access-date=8 December 2011}} He and 20 other prominent Bahraini opposition figures were tried in front of a military court in June 2011, accused of plotting a coup against the Bahraini government. Abdulemam was sentenced to 15 years in prison, in absentia. {{cite web|url=http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/4029#profiles |title=Updates: Harsh sentences to 21 prominent oppositional leaders and Human Rights defenders |publisher=Bahrain Center for Human Rights |date=10 July 2011 |access-date=8 December 2011}}
=Escape from Bahrain=
On May 10, 2013, it emerged that Abdulemam had escaped from Bahrain. He had gone into hiding shortly after the start of the Government's crackdown on protesters in March 2011 to avoid arrest. Activists, consulting with a member of Denmark's Jaeger Corps hatched a plan to get Abdulemam out of the country. The plan was to have American artist Tyler Ramsey visit Bahrain with an entourage including Elizabeth Chambers and two Abdulemam doppelgangers. Abdulemam was to switch places with a member of Ramsey's entourage in a fast-food restaurant at the airport. Ramsey and his entourage would then depart for Cyprus on a chartered jet from a special VIP area at Bahrain Airport, where they would not be subject to security checks or interviews. However, before the plan could be set into motion, Abdulemam escaped Bahrain via the causeway to Saudi Arabia in a car with a hidden compartment. From Saudi Arabia, he traveled by land and sea through Kuwait and Iraq, before departing on flight to London. He was granted asylum in the UK shortly after his arrival.
=CEPOS Freedom Award=
On May 21, 2013, the Danish think tank CEPOS held their annual Freedom Award, where Abduleman received the Freedom Prize of $60,000.{{cite web |url=http://www.cepos.dk/english/cepos-freedom-award |title=CEPOS: CEPOS Freedom Award |publisher=Center for Political Studies |date=21 May 2013 |access-date=23 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609025043/http://www.cepos.dk/english/cepos-freedom-award |archive-date=2013-06-09 |url-status=dead }} The event was streamed live over the internet and Abdulemams speech was subsequently uploaded to YouTube.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk8Q98ivHP4 |title=CEPOS Freedom Award 2012 - Ali Abdulemam |publisher=Center for Political Studies |date=21 May 2013 |access-date=23 May 2013}}
=Personal life=
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://abdulemam.blogspot.com/ Official blog]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk8Q98ivHP4 Ali Abdulemam speaking at the CEPOS Freedom Award, 21 May 2013]
{{2011 Bahraini uprising}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdulemam, Ali}}
Category:Bahraini prisoners and detainees
Category:Bahraini human rights activists
Category:Bahraini torture victims