On 20 October 2013, the Cassation Court in Doha upheld the 15-year prison sentence confirmed by the court of appeal that was rendered in January 2013 against Qatari poet Mohamed Al-Ajami (also known as Mohamed Ibn Al-Dib).

Mohamed Al-Ajami has been detained since 2011 simply for exercising his right to freedom of expression – charged for "inciting to overthrow the regime" and "insulting the Emir," both overly broad charges. In addition, his trial was permeated with irregularities, according to his lawyer Najeeb Al-Nuaimi.

Salim Al Kawari was arrested on 7 February 2011 by State Security personnel who first took him to his house with the intention of searching it, then took him to an unknown location.  His family did not know that he had been detained at a State Security site until six weeks later.

On 1 March 2011 at nine o'clock at night, a number of state security agents raided the house of Mr. Sultan Khalifa Al Khulaifi in Doha. After searching his house and car for two hours, he was taken to an unknown place by the State Security agents.

Following 11 months of detention without charge or trial in the Qatari police station of Asima in Doha, Mohamed Farouk Al Mahdi was released yesterday, on 14 September 2010.