Saturday, July 16, 2005

Global Voices Online

Khalid Jarar: Iraqi blogger detained

Middle East & North Africa, Breaking News, Iraq, Weblog

freekhalidBlogger Khalid Jarrar, author of Secrets in Baghdad, remains in custody of the Iraqi intelligence service, known as the Mukhabarat.

As we reported yesterday, Khalid’s brother Raed says their family was relieved to hear on Thursday morning that Khalid is still alive after going missing for two days. On Sunday, Khalid described on his blog how his apartment in Baghdad had been broken into and his hard drive was stolen. Soon after that he disappeared.

Khalid’s family are calling for his release, or at very least that he be charged and tried for something. Raed says: “Our goal now is to ask the mokhabarat to take Khalid to court and reveal what exactly he is being charged with (if anything).”

The Committee to Protect Bloggers supports the Jarrar family’s appeals.

Please show your support for the Khalid Jarrar by posting supportive comments at Raed’s and Khalid’s latest posts. If you’re a blogger, please help spread the word by linking to them.

Rebecca MacKinnon

3 comments:

Johnny Newt said...

Greta ,how can we, with good consience ,support this fellow before we really know what he was up too ! Certainly as an American i can agree that he should not be detained for his opinions on his blog, but can we be sure that is all he is suspect for !

Greta Björg said...

At least he must have the rights to know WHAT exactly they are arresting him for and what he is being charged of, don´t you think?

Johnny Newt said...

Yes, I'd have to agree.