Malcolm Bidali makes contact with his mother in Jersey
The son of Jersey resident Maggie Turner who was arrested in Qatar and had not been heard of for more than a fortnight has finally made contact.
Malcolm Bidali, whose story featured on the programme last night (19 May) phoned his mother this morning, following an intervention from the Kenyan ambassador in Qatar.
The phone call lasted 10 minutes and he was accompanied by two security guards whilst making the call.
He is unhurt but is being held without charge in solitary confinement and has no access to a lawyer or legal advice. He did not say why he is being held.
The family has demanded to know where he is, why is he being held, how they can orchestrate his release and get him a lawyer or legal advice.
Malcolm was working as a security guard until he was arrested by authorities on 4 May. He was writing for a migrants rights organisation under a pseudonym, detailing the plight of foreign workers in Qatar.
The Qatari authorities have told the press that he was detained for unspecified violation of security laws.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, are monitoring his case says. Justin Shilad, their Senior Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator, said it's unclear how and when he'll be released.
He added: "This will also depend hinge a lot on how much pressure the international community brings to bear and, in this case, that would definitely the be UK as well. They have a good relationship with Qatar. They have a strong military security relationship too, including arm sales to the country, so the UK is not a powerless bystander."