DOHA (Middle East Eye) – Qatari activist Noof al-Maadeed has appeared in a series of videos announcing her health and safety on Twitter, weeks after she had been rumored to have been killed in government custody.
In the first video she posted, Maadeed said she was doing well and in good health, thanking those who supported her.
“Hello everyone, I am on this new account on Twitter because I lost the password of my old one. I am safe and healthy and posting this video so I can assure everyone who fought for my safety. Thank you,” she said.
A second video soon followed, confirming the date on Sunday for those speculating that the video may have been pre-fabricated.
“Those who doubt the authenticity of the video, today is January 9, 2022. Noof is here. Noof is alive. Noof did not die,” she said.
In another post, Maadeed shared a photo of a cake and balloons with happy birthday and homecoming wishes, for which she thanked Qatar’s Minister of Social Development and Family Mariam al-Masnad.
The 23-year-old activist disappeared mid-October when she returned to Qatar after two years of living in the UK. She had sought asylum in Britain to escape alleged abuse from her family, who she said had restricted her movements and beat her.
In December, however, human rights groups reported that they feared Maadeed had been killed or disappeared upon her return to Qatar. At the time, a Qatari official told the Guardian newspaper that Maadeed was in good health but was unable to speak publicly due to a request for privacy.
Rights groups had been calling on the Qatari government to provide proof of Maadeed’s safety and well-being.