[What happens when no one’s looking?

Malcolm Bidali reflects on the last 12 weeks of detention, intimidation, and being charged for a ‘crime’ of highlighting the plight of lower-income migrant workers like himself toiling in Qatar]

So much has happened over the last three months, fueled by events in the months prior to those. Long story. I will (attempt to) be brief.

On 4 May 2021, I was handed over to the SSB, Qatar’s State Security Bureau to be interrogated about my activity on migrant workers’ rights. Here’s how that went down....