Lawyer: Writer jailed for life over Arab Spring poems

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By ReutersDOHA, Qatar — A court in Qatar sentenced a poet to life in prison on Thursday for incitement to overthrow the government and criticizing the ruling emir, his lawyer said.

In his poetry, Muhammad Ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami praised the Arab Spring revolts that have toppled dictators in four Arab countries since early last year and criticized Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Qatar has backed uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world.

'Miscarriage of justice'

Ajami, 36, who was not present in court, has been jailed in solitary confinement for almost a year. He has not seen his family during that time, according to his lawyer Nagib al-Naimi.


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