Ghanem al-Dosari
| Ghanem Humood Faraj al-Dosari غانم حمود فرج الدوسري | |
|---|---|
| Born |
May 16, 1980 Aflaj, Saudi Arabia |
| Nationality | Saudi Arabian |
| Occupation | Saudi human rights activist and satirist |
| Known for | Ghanem Show |
Ghanem Humood al-Masarir al-Dosari (Arabic: غانم حمود المصارير الدوسري; born May 16, 1980 in Aflaj, Saudi Arabia),[1] is a London-based Saudi human rights activist and a popular political satirist who is renowned for hosting an online talk show named the Ghanem Show, which features several popular segments such as "Fadfada" where he criticizes the Saudi royal family (especially the King Salman and his Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman) through the use of black comedy.[2]
History
Al-Dosari been based in London since 2003 in self-imposed exile, where he has operated his YouTube-based talk show since 2015.[3] In his talk show, al-Dosari criticizes the Saudi royal family, such as King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad whom he labels as "Salmanco" (referring to the methods exercised by the King in managing the country in a fashion similar to a company or as personal possession) and "al-Dub al-Dasher" (fat crumpet) respectively in a humorous manner, "exposes secrets" related to the royal family, and calls for protests against the Saudi government.[3] Al-Dosari has been accused by Saud al-Qahtani, advisor to the Saudi Royal Court at minister rank, of being guilty of crimes related to "visa fraud" in his home country.[4]
Al-Dosari had spearheaded a protest movement known as "September 15 Movement" that took place throughout Saudi Arabia on September 15, 2017 which has been described as having a "huge following".[5] The demonstrations called for by al-Dosari come at a stage where the current crisis with Qatar had allowed opponents to rally unprecedented support with which they have never before been able to assemble, which may be the cause of the nervousness of authorities towards the protests. Up to twenty prominent clergymen such as Salman al-Ouda and Awadh al-Qarni had been arrested due to being perceived as "pro-Doha" and a large following in social networks which the Saudi government feared would be utilized to support the protests called for by al-Dosari.[5][6] Numerous leading clerics linked to the Saudi state such as Grand Mufti Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah Al ash-Sheikh and Saleh Al Maghamsi have criticized al-Dosari's movement and called for Saudi citizens to strongly oppose it.[7] Al Sheikh appeared on an MBC talk show and stated that "those advocating for [protests] for the 15th September Movement are advocates of corruption and fitna. There is no good in them nor does good arise from what they are calling for which is promulgated by the enemies of Saudi Arabia... and these are the advocates of Jahiliyyah (ignorance) and perversity."[8]
As of 14 September 2017, al-Dosari flaunts around 424,000 followers on Twitter and hundreds of thousands to millions of views on his YouTube videos.
In September, 2018, he was attacked in the street in London, by two men who were ‘shouting about Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’.[9]
References
{{The Future of the Middle East https://arabdigest.org/visitors/sample-newsletters/the-future-of-the-middle-east/ }}
External
- ↑ Ghanem al-Dosari Twitter account
- ↑ "To escape repression, critics are leaving the Gulf".
- 1 2 "أتاهم من حيث لا يحتسبون.. "غانم الدوسري" الرجل الذي قضّ مضاجع آل سعود وزلزل عروشهم - وطن". 31 July 2017.
- ↑ "القحطاني يكشف هوية "مجتهد" وجريمة غانم الدوسري - صحيفة المواطن الإلكترونية". www.almowaten.net.
- 1 2 Espinosa, Ángeles (13 September 2017). "Arabia Saudí pide a sus ciudadanos que denuncien a los críticos".
- ↑ "Saudi Arabia 'detains' more preachers". www.aljazeera.com.
- ↑ "أخبار حراك 15 سبتمبر - الشيخ المغامسي ومفتي السعودية والعلماء يحذرون من الفتنة الكبرى". 14 September 2017.
- ↑ "مفتي السعودية: "حراك 15 سبتمبر" من دعوات الجاهلية".
- ↑ Saudi human rights activist attacked by men ‘shouting about Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’ in London, Lizzie Dearden, September 16, 2018, The Independent