Netizens, Al Jazeera respond to boycott

A wall in Doha with a portrait of Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. His image has been appearing on social media, street posters and T-shirts.
A wall in Doha with a portrait of Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. His image has been appearing on social media, street posters and T-shirts. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

DOHA • A satirical Twitter account called DohaUnderSiege has been set up for people to share pictures and messages on how their daily lives have been affected - or not.

"Scared to leave hotel today. Omelette bar at breakfast buffet officially out of chives," read a post with the hashtag #dohaundersiege.

Al Jazeera Media Network, the parent company of Al Jazeera and related networks, has launched a social media campaign demanding press freedom in response to the Saudi-led bloc's demand that Qatar shut down Al Jazeera, accusing it of being a platform for Islamist movements and encouraging dissent.

"We assert our right to practise our journalism professionally without bowing to pressure from any government or authority," Al Jazeera said.

And a stencil-style image of Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, is appearing everywhere - on social media, in street posters on high-rise towers and on T-shirts.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 18, 2017, with the headline Netizens, Al Jazeera respond to boycott. Subscribe