When the crackdown against pro-democracy protests started in Bahrain, blogger and online activist Ali Abdulemam went into hiding. He was later tried in absentia by a military court for plotting against the regime. Host Michel Martin speaks to Abdulemam about his escape from Bahrain, and how he now feels about his country.
MICHEL MARTIN HOST: The power of social media also became clear during the Arab Spring. It’s still seen in the way news about Bahrain has spread ever since prodemocracy protests started in the island kingdom more than two years ago. Earlier this month, a court sentenced six people to a year in jail for insulting King Hamad Al Khalifa on Twitter. Activists say it’s just another example of how sensitive the ruling family can be to critics.
That’s something Ali Abdulemam knows all too well. He founded one of Bahrain’s most popular blogs, and has been in and out of jail there several times, including once, he says, on a charge of insulting his majesty the king. When the crackdown against pro-democracy protests started, Abdulemam figured he’d be targeted again, so he went into hiding on the tiny island. Two years have passed since then, and Ali Abdulemam has now emerged in London, and he’s with us from there now. Welcome. Thank you so much for speaking with us.
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