Dissident Spotlight: Awad Al-Sawafi
Arrested over a tweet, Al-Sawafi's case highlights how the internet can amplify both voices for freedom and tools of oppression.
Authoritarian governments use ridiculous laws to enforce over-the-top speech codes. There are no courts to force the state to offer evidence for absurd charges like “agitating for change”, as Saudi Arabia charged a group of feminists who fought for womens’ right to drive.
But “misuse of social media” is bizarre even by dictatorial standards.
On June 3, 2020, a blogger named Awad Al-Sawafi had to appear before Oman’s law enforcement for “incitement” and “misuse of social media.” He was arrested the same day.
Al-Sawafi’s tweet is no longer available — his X account appears to have been deleted. However, Global Freedom of Expression summarized its contents:
“He started by saying, ‘Every week a government institution comes to us that threatens this nation, which is overpowered.’ He concluded by saying, ‘Let everyone know without exception, either we live with dignity on this land or not.’ His tweet enjoyed wide interactions and support on social media.”
Al-Sawafi is one of many dissidents who argue for a less cruel government and greater freedom to speak one’s mind without fear of government reprisals. His efforts in Oman earned him one year in prison.
Social Media Didn’t Open the Internet
One of the early promises of social media was greater human connection. It was a place where activists could organize like-minded people and build movements.
Social media has indeed built movements, but it hasn’t sustained them. The Egyptian Revolution during the Arab Spring was organized online, but that didn’t change political realities that made the army able to retake power in a coup two years later.
One of the other limitations of social media is that authoritarians can use it too. The state has many resources to recruit the finest propagandists and deploy troll farms to overwhelm social media algorithms.
Still, social media is a crucial battleground for activists and political dissidents everywhere trying to reach others. Al-Sawafi may not be on X today, but his message will endure throughout his fight to criticize his government and observe life as he sees it.