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Noof al-Maadeed is a well-known Qatari feminist activist. She fled Qatar two years ago, documenting her escape on social media after alleged attempts on her life.
The 23-years-old activist had recently returned to Qatar from the UK after being assured by the Qatari authorities that she would be safe. But the young activist disappeared from social media on 13 October 2021 after saying she felt unsafe. Then, several human rights and women's rights activists claimed she was kidnapped and killed by her family. They blamed the Qatari authorities for allegedly failing to keep their promise to protect Noof, stating that she had been betrayed and handed to her family. An activist said Noof was (most probably) killed by her family on the same night she disappeared.
The photo shows a screenshot of a user claiming Noof was killed by her family on the same night she disappeared.
News platforms, including Al-Mayadeen and Al-Bawaba, reported the alleged death of al-Maadeed building on statements provided by the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR). The GCHR claimed it received reports that confirmed the murder of a woman’s human rights defender Noof al-Maadeed following her return to Qatar.
The reports triggered a wave of local and international solidarity campaigns led by human rights activists and women’s rights organizations. On social media, the hashtags #WhereIsNoof and #FreeNoofNow were circulating on a large scale.
A Qatari official told The Guardian that al-Maadeed is safe and in good health, adding they were unable to speak publicly due to the family’s request for privacy. But such statements were deemed unsatisfactory by activists who believed the only proof for Noof's safety was seeing her back online. Khalid Ibrahim, head of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), stated: “she said that if she is not posting on social media, then it means she is dead. So we are just acting based on what she told us to do.”
However, after months of speculation, Noof finally resurfaced on social media to dismiss misleading claims alleging her death. In a short video that went viral on social media, Noof said: “Hello everyone, I am back on social media on this new account because I lost the password for my old one. I am safe and healthy and posting this video so I can assure everyone who fought for my safety. Thank you.” In a further bid to assure her supporters, Noof posted another video with the date to dismiss any speculations that the previous recording was fabricated or pre-dated.
“Those who doubt the authenticity of the video, today is January 9, 2022. Noof is here. Noof is alive. Noof did not die,” Noof added.
The Qatari activist also added that she lost her previous Twitter account, and she was returning under a new account @Justnoof98 and thanked all those who advocated for her safety. Following her posts on Sunday, hundreds rushed to welcome her back and express their happiness and relief for her safety. But the Qatari activist’s decision not to share information regarding the reasons behind her disappearance made some people still hesitant to accept the idea that she went offline willingly. A user claimed, without immediate evidence, that she received instructions not to voice out the suffering she has been through in the past few months.
The photo shows a screenshot of a user claiming Noof received instructions not to speak about what she has been through during her disappearance period
Misbar’s sources:
Doha News
Doha News
CNN
RT
Al-Araby
AL-Hurra
Middle East Eye
GCHR
Al-Mayadeen
Al-Bawaba
