JAILED QATARI POET

Early day motion 645, tabled 29 October 2013 by George Galloway (Respect). Signed by 10 members.

That this House notes that the Qatari poet, Muhammad ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami, has now served two years of a 15 year sentence for allegedly criticising the Qatari government in the wake of the Arab Spring; believes that this is an outrageous sentence to impose for the exercise of freedom of speech; calls on the Qatari government to free Mr al-Ajami; and calls on the Government to make urgent representations to the Qatari government calling for his release.

Signatures by party: Labour 8, Respect 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.