Poet sentenced to life over Arab Spring verse
Date December 1, 2012
Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, pictured, was criticised by poet Muhammad Ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami. Photo: AFP
DOHA: A Qatari poet has been sentenced to life in prison for an Arab Spring-inspired verse that officials claim insulted Qatar's emir and encouraged the overthrow of the country's ruling system, his defence lawyer said.
It was the latest blow from a widening clampdown on perceived dissent across the Persian Gulf Arab states.
The verdict in a state security court is certain to bring a fresh outpouring of denunciations by rights groups, that have repeatedly called for the release of poet, Muhammad ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami.
It is also another example of tough measures by judicial and security officials in The Gulf states against possible challenges to their rule following the start of the Arab Spring revolts last year.
The poet's lawyer, Najib al-Nuaimi, said he planned to appeal. ''This judge made the whole trial secret,'' Mr Nuaimi said. ''Muhammad was not allowed to defend himself and I was not allowed to plead or defend in court. I told the judge that I need to defend my client in front of an open court, and he stopped me.''
Mr Ajami was jailed in November last year, months after an internet video was posted of him reciting Tunisian Jasmine, a poem lauding that country's popular uprising, which touched off the Arab Spring rebellions across the Middle East.
In the poem, he said: ''We are all Tunisia in the face of repressive'' authorities and criticised Arab governments that restrict freedoms. Qatari officials charged Mr Ajami with ''insulting'' Qatar's ruler and ''inciting to overthrow the ruling system''. The latter charge could have brought a death sentence.
Mr Nuaimi said Mr Ajami, a third-year student of literature at Cairo University, has been held in solitary confinement since his arrest.
Associated Press
