Bogaert has been detained in Qatar since October 2008. After moving to the Middle Eastern country in April last year to take up a job as broadcast manager of Dialogic Qatar, Bogaert found himself trapped in a dispute between the company and one of its clients.

Dialogic Qatar is a subsidiary of Dialogic SA, based in Brussels, and operates as a communications consultancy, particularly in the field of sports. The Qatar subsidiary was contracted to organise the Qatar Marine Festival.

Bogaert, a TV producer, was unaware of an ongoing dispute with a Dialogic client, who was refusing to pay for services received. Three months after arriving, he was asked to replace managing director Harald Vervaecke, with the aim of rescuing the festival project, in jeopardy because of alleged mismanagement on Vervaecke's part. Ten days later, however, Dialogic lost the Marine Festival contract.

Dialogic SA ordered Bogaert to put the Qatar subsidiary into liquidation, but one of its Qatari sponsors refused to take part in proceedings. Under Qatari law, foreign companies require a local sponsor who vouches for them in official matters, while in most cases acting as a silent partner. The sponsor's unwillingness to cooperate in the liquidation made it impossible to realise. Bogaert resigned, and that was accepted by the Dialogic SA board.

But the Qataris had another view.

"My name is Philippe Bogaert. I am a hostage in Qatar. But tonight I will try not to think about it for once."

The sponsor, Farukh Azad, refused to recognise the resignation and would not grant Bogaert an exit visa. As the local sponsor, Azad is legally responsible for the debts of the company, so he filed suit against Bogaert for negligence in the loss of the festival contract and claimed €3.2 million in damages.

Bogaert was unable to leave Qatar, but at the same time he no longer had a job or an income. The only money he has is what he picks up in tips for playing the piano in bars and hotel lounges around the Qatari capital Doha. By last December, he could no longer support himself and was given refuge in the Belgian ambassador's residence. Eight months later, he is still there, and, according to the foreign affairs ministry, there is not much hope of a solution to his situation any time soon.

Two months ago, insult was added to injury, when he was sentenced in his absence to three years in prison for passing bad cheques - a direct result of his continued existence in legal limbo. He was able to pay a deposit to appeal and to suspend the judgement, but that means that from now on he has to be represented at all hearings by a local lawyer - which of course costs money.

Bogaert received a visit from his parents in mid July and at the end of the month took part (via the online programme Skype) in a party held by about 500 friends and supporters in Vilvoorde. That raised about €4,000 to help pay legal costs and for a visit from his wife Els and their two children. That visit took place last week.

At the same time, Azad was filing another lawsuit, this time alleging harassment and stalking - in the form of Bogaert's blog, in which he laid out the whole story of his predicament. The blog has since been taken down, with only a page of thanks to supporters remaining.

"My name is Philippe Bogaert. I am a hostage in Qatar. But thanks to you, I'm fighting back!"

http://twitter.com/hostageinqatar