Qatar Charge Kenyan Blogger For Receiving Money To Spread ‘Fake News’

Blogging under a pseudonym, Noah, Bidali wrote about labour rights issues, including long working hours, issues with wages, working conditions and unsuitable accommodation and conditions at his workplace.

Just days before his arrest, Bidali, who moved to Qatar in 2016, made an online presentation to civil society groups on the state of migrant workers in Qatar, giving his experience working as a security guard there.

He was also the target of a phishing attack. According to @amnesty's analysis, a link tweeted to him led to a suspicious URL capable of recording the IP address and other data about the person who clicked on it. This may have been used to identify or locate him. #WhereIsMalcolm

— Migrant Rights (@MigrantRights) May 28, 2021

Qatar’s official National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) said authorities gave unrestricted access to Bidali and “he was being treated properly”.

The NHRC added staff from the Kenyan embassy visited him and he had contacts with his family and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The ILO officials turned down Al Jazeera’s request for comment but added that “a statement is forthcoming”.

The ambassador of Kenya to Qatar, Paddy Ahenda, told Al Jazeera he was unable to comment on the charges but added he will be meeting Bidali soon.

Rights groups have voiced concern that his detention may be in reprisal for human rights work.

A spokesperson for Migrant-Rights.Org, where Bidali used to blog about life as a migrant worker in Qatar, told Al Jazeera the organisation connected with Bidali last year and “he was keen to help other workers in distress, especially during the pandemic”.

On Friday, rights groups, including Amnesty International, said in a statement that Bidali told his mother in a May 20 phone call that he was being held in solitary confinement and had no access to a lawyer.

He wanted nothing more than to have his grievances heard, to amplify the experiences of other migrants, and even to work with the government and related stakeholders to uphold Qatar’s commitments to protecting migrant worker rights.

— Migrant Rights (@MigrantRights) May 29, 2021

In a Twitter post on Saturday, Migrant-Rights.Org said Bidali “wanted nothing more than to have his grievances heard, to amplify the experiences of other migrants, and even to work with the government and related stakeholders to uphold Qatar’s commitments to protecting migrant worker rights”.

“It’s critical to underscore that none of @Noaharticulates blog posts and initiatives can be considered ‘disinformation’. The content of his advocacy was always nuanced and multi-layered, with the sole intent of improving conditions in Qatar – not maligning the country,” it added.

Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers and its human rights record have been under the spotlight since it was awarded the hosting of football’s 2022 FIFA World Cup.