Amnesty International UK is hosting an innovative poetry event at its east London headquarters to highlight the plight of a poet jailed for 15 years in the Gulf state of Qatar.

 

The 27 February event - being co-staged in a new collaboration between Amnesty, English Pen, Farrago Slam Poetry and Poet In The City - will profile the case of Mohammed al-Ajami, 39, who was jailed for 15 years for writing a poem. 

 

Al-Ajami was arrested in late 2011 and was charged over a poem which criticised the country’s ruler. He was held in incommunicado detention for several months, including in solitary confinement, before being convicted of inciting to overthrow the ruling system and insulting the Qatari Amir. The poet was originally sentenced to life imprisonment but this was later reduced to 15 years. 

 

‘Poetry Under Attack’ will celebrate poetry and poets’ right to freedom of expression across the Middle East and beyond, and the evening will be livestreamed to the Middle East.

 

 

Who: 

*Karim Abid - Iraqi poet and short story-teller

 

*Alsaddiq Alraddi - UK-Sudanese poet

 

*Imtiaz Dharker - UK-Pakistani poet

 

*Sabrina Mahfouz - UK-Egyptian poet

 

*John Paul O’Neill - UK slam poet

 

 

When: Friday 27 February, 7pm (doors open 6.30pm)

 

Where: Amnesty International UK, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA

 

 

The event is free but please book online here.