The year 2007 did not only witness the retardation of press freedom, but also it witnessed unprecedented aggression against the freedom of expression on the internet. The Arabic Netwrok For Human Rights Informationrecorded many of such aggressions and violations that can be summed up as follows:
I- Websites banning
II- Arresting and detaining various bloggers without a legal cause
III- Aggressions against bloggers and e-activists
IV- Launching law suits against some bloggers and e-activists
I-Websites banning
1- A law suit launched by judge Abdul Fattah Murad, demanding the ban of 51 websites and blogs
* The beginning
The story begins on the end of February 2007, when the judge Abdul Fattah Murad, the chief of the appeal court in Alexandria , demanded the government to ban 21 websites and bloggs branding them as “terrorism websites”!
Among the websites and blogs he demanded to ban was the website of the Arabic Netwrok For Human Rights Informationand the website of Hisham Mubarak Law Center besides another 19 websites that had a common ground basically; writing about the above-mentioned judge's plagiarism against the copy rights of the Arabic network for human rights information. The judge published a book entitled “The Scientific and Legal Fundamentals of Internet Blogs." The book contained tens of pages that were ‘copied' from the annual report of the Arabic network for human rights information, issued on December 13, 2006 under the title “ Implacable Adversaries: Arab Governments and the Internet ”, without referring to the source, preaching the law of intellectual property no.82/2002.
The judge in his demand to bans such websites and blogs depended on the content of these websites and blogs. He alleged that they defame Egypt 's reputation and libel the president of Egypt . Also they defame some Arab countries and its political systems. He also alleged that these websites and blogs defame himself because he tackled their reports in his book “The scientific and legal fundamentals of internet blogs."
In his demand, the judge alleged that the content of the websites is illegal and threats the public peach of Egypt . He tried to provoke the state against such websites and blogs when he branded them as “terrorism ones” and are dangerous for the national security and harm the supreme interests of the state and the system. He not only demanded the ban of these existing websites and blogs, but also he demanded the ban of any potential websites that may be launched in the future.
The case track:
On April 4, 2007 the judge Abdul Fattah Murad accused both Mr. Gamal Eid, the executive director of the Arabic Netwrok For Human Rights Informationand Mr. and Mrs. Alaa Saif, bloggers, of defamation and libel. This was another case who acted in retaliation because the previously mentioned persons revealed his plagiarism against the copy rights of the Arabica network. After investigating the case by the prosecution who released the three persons, the latter were detained by police, ‘to finish the release procedures', for more than 10 hours from 1pm to midnight .
On May 10, 2007 , the judge Murad added more 30 bloggs to his list of websites and bloggs branded as practicing “intellectual terrorism” and threatening the national security. The number of the websites and bloggs reached 51. To know more about these websites and bloggs you can visit http://www.hrinfo.net/press/2007/pr0510.shtml .
On the same day, the Arabic Network was surprised on knowing that its executive director Mr. Gamal Eid along with Mr. Ahmad Saif, the executive director of Hisham Mubarak Law Center are summoned for interrogation regarding a new false case launched by the judge against them. The judge this time accused them of forcing him to publish some news and information that defame Egypt 's reputation!!
Rejecting the case and supporting the freedom of expression
On December 29, 2007 and before the end of the year, came the sentence of the administrative court rejecting the law suit launched by judge Murad demanding the ban of websites and bloggs. It was a historic sentence supporting the freedom of expression. The sentence stated that:
“Banning a website of electronic press is the same like banning a newspaper, besides, any restrictions on the freedom of expression is unconstitutional.” “Any breaches considered by the plaintiff as a defamation against him, give him the right to launch cases against personalities who did it, but never can be reasons for banning a website containing a lot of information that can be useful for others. In case the websites are banned, net browsers are punished by being deprived from such information.
The year ends but the false cases launched by the judge Murad against two human rights centers and some Egyptian bloggs do not. Such false cases hinder the way of the freedom of expression in Egypt .
2- The blogg of Eman Republic : willingly banned
Eman Republic is the title of the blogg of the Alexanderian blogger Eman. In her blogg Eman present herself as “a simple girl believing in simple principles, looking at the enlightened side of life, willing to discard the old traditions and customs, crazy about her friends and family, loves Alexandria and Egypt but hates Mubarak!”
One day, in her blog, Eman wrote about the Libyan absence in the 19 th Arab Summit held in Riyad. She wrote that colonel Qaddafi prefers the African entity on the Arabian one. Although her opinion was not wrong nor false and depended on a real stance and the Libyan president statements, the concerned were disturbed!
Eman met assaults against her by Libyan persons and many aggressive emails. Then she was summoned for interrogation by the state security which accused her of “defaming Libya ”! Eman was interrogated while the Libyan embassy representative was attending – which is a violation against the national sovereignty- and told her that she is on the top of the Libyan black list, and a law suit will be launched against her in Libya. Eman was threatened and was told that what happened to her was just a flick. She was forced to close “willingly” her blog. The Eman republic disappeared forever along with the values of national sovereignty and the freedom of expression and the right to criticize.
In her message published on the internet, Eman commented on her blog disappearance by saying, “The worst thing to feel is disappointment and despair. It is very bad to find yourself unable to return back your freedom…to feel how weak you are before arrogant authorities. When my heart shrived because of a sin I did not commit, and when my fingers were cut for the alleged sin they wrote, the most important pillar in my life was ruined…my republic disappeared along with the principles and thoughts in which I believed. The persons I thought they were gentle, were naked before my eyes to see their brutality.”
3-The ban of Egypt save front website
* Banned on January 2006
On January27, 2006 the Egyptian government partially banned the front website “ www.saveegyptfront.org ”. Most Egyptian internet browsers were deprived from viewing the website. This website is the mouthpiece of one political reformation group which was formed with more than 14 groups got fed up with the political suppression in Egypt . This group demanded more civil and political freedom and called for political reformation. It declared its establishment in April, 2005.
The websites owners said that the website was banned after publishing the activities of a political reformation conference held in London . In that conference the secretary general of the Al Ghad party delivered a speech and so Mrs. Gamila Ismaiel, wife of Dr. Ayman Noor, an opinion prisoner and president of the party. They spoke about the unfair tribunal of Ayman.
* Breaking the ban in the end of 2007
As being illegally and suddenly banned, the website was suddenly back on the internet in the end of 2007. It seems that the Egyptian government got the lesson that banning a website, increases the its popularity and so became known by more people. Also, banning a website, urges its owner(s) to launch many other websites as happened with the website of the Muslim brotherhood group. Moreover, banning a website makes its owner(s) use the proxy technique to overcome any attempt to ban the website.
II- Arresting and detaining various bloggers without a legal cause
The year 2007 witnessed the increase in the phenomenon of arresting various bloggers without a legal cause. Although many political activists and journalists faced kidnapping, the number of bloggers who faced kidnapping or arresting was bigger. This big number makes it a phenomenon that should be recorded and documented.
- Bloggers are always kidnapped by non-uniformed security forces during covering or participating in certain activities or political demonstrations or during covering some tribunals like the military tribunal of Muslim brotherhood members. It is not true that the bloggers, known as members in the Muslim brotherhood, are targeted for belonging to an “out-lawed group”. They are targeted just for being bloggers. Arresting them is justified – if justified- by their committing the ready-made crimes such as belonging to an out-lawed group, or having illegal fliers or any other charge but not ‘blogging' may be because blogging was not mentioned in the emergency law articles.
Note: In this chapter, we did not mention the bloggers detained upon legal sentences. Such bloggers are mentioned in a special chapter for the bloggers and websites owners who faced judiciary abuse.
The Arabic network for human rights watch could record the following violations against bloggers who were arrested without a legal cause:
1- Blogger and writer Muhammad Yakut: chased by the security forces who broke through his house and confiscated his personal computer.
Blogger Muhammad Musaad Yakut is the owner of the blog http://yakut.blogspot.com . He is also a researcher and an electronic publisher for various websites such as khair online, islamonline, libyafuture. He got the journalist reward of the late man of letter Ahmad Baha.
- On June 10, 2007 , the police broke through Muhammad Yakut's house, who was not that at the time, without a legal permission. The police took Yakut's PC and some documents and books. In his comment on this assault, Yakut said that this happened because he declared on his blog his support for the Muslim brotherhood members candidates for the Shoura council midterm elections.
The police detained Muhammad Yakut's brother as a hostage and then released him while keeping Yakut's PC till now.
2- The blogger Omar El Sharlqawi: detained and abused without a legal cause
On June 11, 2007 , the state security investigation unit arrested the blogger Omar El Sharqawi owner of the blog entitled “Events in my life” linked on http://omarmhmh.maktoobblog.com during covering the Egyptian Shoura council elections. He was detained in Talkha police station without being formally charged with any charge and without being interrogated by the prosecutor.
* Blogger Omar El Sharqawi tried by his camera to record some shots displaying the attempts of elections fraud in his district affiliated to Talkha town, Dakahliya governorate. He also tried to record the security violations to make the government candidate win even by fraud. While recording such violations and fraud attempt, Omar found himself being pushed by some people who forced him to enter a “microbus” and sent him to Talkha police station where he was abused and got his camera confiscated. While being sent to the police station, security persons leading him said to him “Do you want to expose us on the internet?!” Also, the officer who interrogated him in the police station accused Omar of “defaming Egypt reputation” specially when he watched the shots taken by Omar displaying the way of ballots filling for the interest of the ruling party candidate.
When some human rights activists and lawyers went to the Talkha police station to know about the destination of Omar El Sharqawi with the police, the station officer denied knowing any thing about Omar alleging that he is not in the police station. This assures that there was not any legal cause for arresting Omar.
After a three-day detention without a legal cause, Omar El Sharqawi was released on June 14, 2007 .
3- The blogger Ahmad Sa'd Doma: kidnapped and detained without a legal cause
On July 26, 2007 the blogger Ahmad Sa'd Doma, owner of the blog entitled “Ikhwan poet” linked on http://ikhwan-poet.maktoobblog.com , was arrested. Being near to his house in Shurbra El Kheima district, Ahmad was assaulted by three non-uniformed police men who led him blindfolded to a police vehicle and toke him to an unknown place (even after his release Ahmad could not know about that place). Ahmad Sa'd was preparing for the one million-face campaign against Mubarak's system linked on http://www.no4m.6x.to .
The pivot of interrogating Ahmad, according to his story, was the one million-face campaign against Mubarak's system. For about two hours, Ahmad, who was shackled, was physically and verbally abused during being interrogated. He was beaten by a stick till he fainted. After refreshing him, Ahmad was interrogated again about his writings on his blog and about his opinion about the state system and the president Mubarak.
After two days of humiliation and physical abuse, Ahmad was released without being charged and without any proof of being arrested ‘kidnapped' in that unknown place.
4- Blogger Mo'taz Adel: detained and released
On July 16, 2007 , the state security investigation unit in Mansoura detained the blogger Mo'taz Adel owner of the blog entitled “Manfe” (exiled) linked on http://manfe.blogspot.com . This happened when Mo'taz was going to the Hikestep military area to cover a hearing of the military tribunal of the Muslim brotherhood group leaders. Mo'taz said that his arresting came after few minutes of getting out of his house in Mansoura. He was interrogated about what he wrote in his blog regarding his intention to attend the hearing and his call for the political activists to attend the hearing. He was asked also about the reason behind his attending.
After being detained for six hours, Mo'taz was released.
5- The blogger Hosam Al Hendi: hosted in Helwan police station
On November 28, 2007 , the state security forces arrested the blogger Hosam Al Hendi, owner of the blog entitled “Ghalaba” (needy). This happened when Hosam was covering the violent events in Helwan University done by the university-administration-partisan student federation members. Hosam was led to Helwan police station and was released on November 29, 2007 at the evening time. It is worth to mention that Hosam Al Hindi, besides being a blogger and e-activist, is a journalist at the Egyptian independent newspaper Al Dustur.
Reporters without borders organization commented on Al Hindi release by saying, “It is true that Hosam Al Hindi is freed, but concerns about the government policy against bloggers are arisen.” “Bloggers and journalists are still targeted, so we call the authorities to eliminate the unreasoned and arbitrary arresting”, added the organization.
6- The blogger Ahmad El Gizawi: anti torture blogger arrested
On November 10, 2007 , the blogger and lawyer Ahmad El Gizawi, owner of the blog entitled “I love you Egypt ” linked on http://iloveyouegypt.blogspot.com , was arrested upon his attempt to cover the protest stance made by “Egyptians against torture” movement in front of Al Omrania police station. Ahmad participated in the stance protesting on the increase in the cases of torturing to death specifically in that police station, where many were tortured to death. The last victim was Ahmad Sabir who met his end due to being tortured in the same police station. The security forces foiled the protest stance and detained the blogger Ahmad El Gizawi and the activist Dr. Layla Swaif.
Ahmad El Gizawi is one of the activist bloggers in “Egyptians against torture” movement who played an important role in documenting the cases of torturing in various governorates.
7- The blogger Ahmad Mohsen: detention in custody
On November 27 the blogger and physician Ahmad Mohsen, owner of the blog entitled “eyes still open” linked on http://eyestillopen.blogspot.com was detained. The supreme state security prosecutor issued a sentence to detain him in custody and renew the period of custody when due. Till the time of preparing this report, Mr. Ahmad is still imprisoned.
As usual, Mr. Ahmad faced the ready-made charges like belonging to an out-lawed group and attempting to coup against the ruling system and a new charge of “planning for the municipal elections”!! Some of the concerned attribute the detention of the blogger Ahmad Mohsen to his role in exposing the torturing crime whose victim was Muhammad Gom'a Al Dahshori who met his end due to torturing in Fayum. Ahmad Mohsen was the first to expose this crime committed by a state security officer in Fayum. Perhaps, his role in telling the media about that crime, is the main motivation behind the security aggression against him.
8- The blogger Abdul Rahman Faris : the price of “a round with the seniors”!
The blogger Abdul Rahman Faris, owner of the blog entitled “my tongue is my pen” linked on http://chabfares.arwp.net , was arrested on October 13, 2007 , the first day of Eid Al Fitr. He was charged with distributing fliers aiming at disturbing the public peace and toppling the ruling system.
As usual, after being interrogated by the prosecutor twice, the latter finds no charge to be directed to the blogger Abdul Rahman Faris. On October 15, 2007 , Abdul Rahman was released.
It is worth to mention that the most probable reason behind Faris' arresting was the ironical campaign he launched on his blog under the title “We'll watch them as they watch us”. He published some data about the state security officers in Fayum (where he dwells). The data were unclassified (officers names, their cars brands, their addresses). Although the data were unclassified, it provoked the state security officers who responded by false charges against Faris to scare him. It seems that ‘playing' with the ‘seniors' (i.e. the state security officers), is costly. The attorney general found no crime to charge Faris with, so he was released.
9- Mass detention against some bloggers during covering and participating in the protests on the constitutional amendments
Amendment to the 34 articles in the Egyptian permanent constitution!
The year 2007 witnessed the most promoted amendments to the constitution formulated in 1971. The amendments were done to 34 articles. Most amendments did not cause any disturbance except for the amendments done to the articles 88 and 179. The former is regarding eliminating the judicial supervision on the elections, and the latter is regarding legislating an anti-terrorism law that is expected to be a permanent substitution for the temporary emergency law.
With the referendum on the amendments drawing near on March26,2007, a case of political sever disturbance started to prevail among all non governmental political trends; parties, political movements, journalist ….and bloggers. A wave of protest and demonstrations and sit-ins started on March15,2007.
The E-arrangements for the demonstrations and set-ins!
The outstanding role of bloggers was represented in adopting the call for national movements to arrange for peaceful demonstrations to express the public rejection of the amendments. The blogs were the best location for arranging such demonstrations and also were the fastest and best medium for the instant publishing of the hot events such as activists set-ins and their peaceful demonstrations.
The Tahrir square demonstration on March15,2007:mass arresting including some bloggers:
After the security forces foiled the demonstration made by Kifaya (enough) movement in The Tahrir square, they arrested 31 activists among them were at least five bloggers. The bloggers were, Muhammad Adel, owner of the blog entitled “meit” linked on http://43arb.info/meit and Muhammad Tahir, owner of the blog entitled “abused Egyptian citizen” linked on http://www.egymasr.com and the blogger Moustafa Ismail, owner of the blog entitled “my belongings” linked on http://hagaty.blogspot.com , and many other activist bloggers.
The arrested bloggers and activists were sent to the prosecutor where they were released after a 48-hour detention with being charged.
A protest stance in front of the parliament on March20, 2007: kidnapping in the police trucks
On March 20, 2007 , and in front of the Egyptian parliament, many activists and blogger were kidnapped immediately before participating in a protest stance. The security-foiled stance was a solidarity with the independent MPs who object on passing the constitutional amendments.
The blogger Malik Moustafa, owner of Malcolm X blog was kidnapped for some hours and released afterwards. The same happened to the famous man of letter and journalist Muhammad Abdul Quddus who supervises hurriyatona (our freedom) website.
The most hectic practice on that day was kidnapping a number of bloggers and activists in a police truck which became a mobile cell, that hiding the crime of arbitrary detention by its continuous mobility. The 5-hour detention was against a number of blogger among whom were, Muhammad Gamal owner of “Jemmihood” blog linked on http://www.t5at5a.blogspot.com , and Hajj Gerges owner of “kifaya, haram” blog linked on http://kefaya7aram.blogspot.com / and Fathi Farid owner of “almagnon” (the mad) blog linked on http://almagnon.blogspot.com .
March, 25, the night before the referendum: when the security system rears its ugly head
The security forces fiercely dispersed a set-in adopted by Kifaya movement and was called for by some Egyptian bloggers. The sit-in was to be done in the Tahrir square on the night before the referendum. During the sit-in dispersing, non-uniformed policemen assaulted a number of activists and bloggers who were beaten and verbally abused.
The situation was wrapped up, and the activists were deprived from making the set-in in the Tahrir and Talat Harb squares. The security strike resulted in kidnapping tens of activists and bloggers among whom were: Malik Moustafa owner of Malcolm X blog http://malek-x.net, Omar Al Hadi, owner of “asad” (lion) blog http://asad.blogsome.com , Omar Moustafa owner of “Cesar” blog http://x-ist.blogspot.com , Muhammad Gamal owner of “Jemmyhood” blog http://www.t5at5a.blogspot.com , Karim Al Sha'ir, owner of “misr hurra” (free Egypt) blog http://misrhura.blogspirit.com , and Adham El Safti, owner of “al haya mo'geza” (life is a miracle) blog http://crisis-poets-locaa.blogspot.com , and many others.
On March 25,2007 , 6pm , the whole participants were detained in a police truck that moved around Cairo suburbs. The state security forces did not release them. The detained persons spent 21 hours completely confined inside the truck, without fresh air, food or even a chance to ease themselves.
That time the detained activists weren't sent to the prosecutor. It was very obvious that they were kidnapped. That was the crime in which the state appeared naked without any cover showing, even in form, its respect towards law. The stated showed its worst practice of repression and suppression means against some few youth who expressed their opinions on the internet and adopted a stance to declare rejecting on playing with the constitution. For this only they were kidnapped and abused.
The activists and bloggers were arbitrarily detained and suddenly released. After the police made sure that every thing went well with the referendum on March 26, 2007 , the police forces started to drop the detained bloggers from the truck, but individually far in the desert leaving each one of them trying to return back alone.
# The blogger Mos'ad Abu Fagr: detained, released and finally detained again
On September 8, 2007 , the blogger and novelist Mos'ad Sulaiman Hasan know as Mos'ad Abu Fagr, was kidnapped by the security forces in Al Qantara Sharq city. It is worth to mention that besides being a novelist and owning a blog entitled “wedna neiesh” (we wanna live) http://wednane3ish.katib.org , Mos'ad is a human rights activist defending the rights of Sinai residents. He is also a leader in the “wedna neiesh” movement which defends the rights of Sinai tribes. After one-day detention Abu Fagr was released upon the government response to the set-in made by Sinai residents who demanded his immediate release. But, Mos'ad was charged with “rioting” upon supporting the rights of Sinai residents.
On December 26, 2007 , and before the end of the year, Mos'ad Abu Fagr was again arrested while being at home located at the Suez Canal blocks in Ismailia . He was led to some jail in Sinai and the prosecutor issued an order to imprison him (and to be renewed when due) upon the old crime, i.e. “rioting”. But, the real reason behind Mos'ad detention is to deprive him from participating in the set-in that was to be done on January,1,2008 . The set-in was to settle a dept of some persons for a governmental bank. Mos'ad called for participating in such set-in on his blog “ wedna neiesh”.
Till the moment of preparing this report, Mos'ad Abu Fagr, has not been released yet. Despite the demands of local and international human rights organizations to release Mos'ad since he is a human rights defender facing suppression and false charges, Mos'ad is still in jail.
III: Aggressions against bloggers and e-activists
1- Breaking through blogger Muhammad Al Sharqawi's house and stealing his laptop pc.
On March 10, 2007 some unknown individuals broke through the apartment of blogger Muhammad Al Sharqawi, owner of “ketabat” (writings) blog, http://sharkawy.wordpress.com . Al Sharqawi discovered what happened in his apartment and the disappearance of his laptop pc few hours later. Al Sharqawi said that the apartment was professionally broken through without traces left behind. He added that nothing was stolen more than the laptop pc which contained a video file displaying the details of Al Sharqawi torturing in Kasr El Neel police station in May, 2006.
It is worth-mentioned that when Al Sharqawi went to the Tahrir police station (the nearest to his house) along with a lawyer from the Arabic Netwrok For Human Rights Informationto issue a notice regarding the rubbery, the dispatched officer refused to record the notice. Al Sharqawi was redirected to Kasr El Neel police station, where he had been physically abused during being detained upon “the judges' crisis” in 2006.
2- The state security broke through the house of an e-activist and captured his pc.
On August 8, 2007 , the state security forces broke through the house of the Coptic activist Dr. Adel Fawizy (62 years old) who writes for “middle east Copts” website. The forces ruined most of his properties, specially the contents of his bedroom and captured his own laptop pc along with the cover of the book entitled “suppressed Copts”. He faced some false ready-made charges like contempt of religions, false news spread, …etc, in order to file a case against him. The case was routed to the state security supreme prosecutor. In November, 2007, Dr. Adel was released after three months of detention.
3- The blogger Wael Abbas: non-stop defaming campaigns
Wael Abbas is the most outstanding blogger in Egypt and the Arab world as well. This is because he enjoys the enough courage to publish the most hectic files on his blog. The blog “al wa'i al masri” (the Egyptian consciousness) directed by Wael, was highly recognized in 2007 for the various torturing cases in the Egyptian police stations. The case was known by “torturing video clips”, and the blogger called it (Al Adly video-gate scandal- referring to the Egyptian interior minister Habib Al Adly). The most prominent case tackled on the blog, in 2007, was “Emad Al Kabir” torturing and dishonoring case. Wael published a video file displaying the details. What made it worse was that the video file was created by those who committed the crime. On November 25, 2007, the credibility of the bloggers in general and Wael's in particular, was assured by the court which sentenced police captain, Islam Nabih to 3 years in jail for committing the torturing and dishonoring crime.
Because of his prominent role, Wael Abbas became targeted by the ministry of interior which launched a defaming campaign against him. General Ahmad Diya El Dien, assistant interior minister, was quoted on various TV shows defaming Abbas by alleging that the latter is recorded criminal and the ministry is about to file cases against him.
After all defaming campaigns, Wael had to publish a scanned copy of his criminal record on the blog to refute and nullify the alleges of the interior ministry and the assistant minister of interior. Till the moment of preparing this report, Wael is still facing a wild defaming campaign, especially after publishing a new video on his blog displaying someone (seemingly, a police officer) forcing a girl to get naked.
IV: Launching law suits against some bloggers and e-activists
1- The case of the year: the blogger Karim Amir was sentenced to four years in prison for contempt of religions and humiliating the president!
The first Egyptian imprisonment sentence against a blogger!
On February 22, 2007 , the blogger Abul Karim Nabil Sulaiman, (known as Karim Amer) was sentenced to 4 years in jail for “encouraging against Islam” and humiliating the Egyptian president. The sentence is the first in its category in Egypt , and Karim Amir is the first Egyptian blogger to be sentenced to imprisonment for his writings on the internet. The sentence is so much harmful to Egypt 's reputation regarding the freedom of expression.
On November 6, 2006 , Abdul Karim was arrested upon the notice issued by Al Azhar University to the general attorney. Abdul Karim was charged with:
* spreading false news and rumors aiming at disturbing the public peace
* humiliating the president
* encouraging against the ruling system
* encouraging against Muslim sect and disturbing the public peace
* defaming the state by publishing harming manifestations
The trial lacked the factors of a fair trial. The judge charged Karim with an abandoned article! Also the trial witnessed a strange and unprecedented behavior, the judge changed the charges without informing the defending lawyers.
Along the hearings, Karim's lawyers were handing argumentations regarding the charges provided by the prosecutor. At the end, they were astonished by the judge sentence, which came for different charges other than the ones they handed their argumentations for.
On March 12, 2007 , the appeal court in Alexandria supported the jail sentence against the blogger Abdul Karim Solaiman. Till the moment of preparing this report, the cassation court has not fixed a date to discuss the contest in the appeal court sentence, handed by Karim's defending lawyers.
To agree or disagree, is not the question!
As human rights defenders we are not much concerned about supporting or denying Karim's opinions. Our deep concern is the freedom of expression even if we disagree with the expressed opinions.
Till you go back on your word!
According to a letter sent by Karim in which he mentioned that “Till you go back on your word” is the main sentence said to him in the jail while being beaten. The officers in Burg Al Arab jail, encouraged the cell guard and some prisoners to assault Karim who was beaten and tortured by them under the supervision of the officers. This happened in October, 2007 when Karim got a broken tooth and many contusions and bruises in his body.
Reporters without borders granted Karim Amir the annual award of the “e-opponent”
On December 5, 2007 , Karim Solaiman, was granted the e-opponent award by Reporters without Borders Organization for his courage in expressing his opinions. It is worth-mentioned that during being interrogated, Karim was given a bargain of nullifying his opinions for being released. But, Karim did not go back on his work and paid the price; staying in jail.
On his speech delivered on his behalf on the day of award granting, Karim stated, “One complete year is about to pass while being deprived from freedom. This hard experience made me taste the bitterness of oppression and injustice. A taste that can never be expressed.
2- Arresting the Egyptian blogger Abdul Moniem Mahmoud: the Ikhwan ‘news agency' in the jail.
# A meaningful precedent
* On April 13, 2007 the state security investigation forces broke through the house of the Egyptian blogger Abdul Moniem Mahmoud, a journalist for the Ikhwan (Muslim brotherhood group) English website, and reporter for the Al Hiwar (dialogue) space channel in Egypt . He was not in his house at the time of assault.
* When “Moniem” knew about the assault he consulted his lawyer who assured him that he is not charged not summoned by the prosecutor. Moniem decided not to give himself up since he is not summoned nor charged. When the blogger inside and outside Egypt knew about this assault and the case of chasing, they started their ‘anticipating' campaign in solidarity with Moniem against the arbitrary security aggression.
* The blogs started to publish about the illegal ‘chasing' against Moneim few hours after breaking through Moneim's house in Alexandria . It was an unprecedented procedure that is a campaign for solidarity with a detainee that had not yet detained and to immediately publish all news on the internet upon taking place.
# Arrested on the airliner board
* Since Abdul Moniem was not formally summoned or charged, he decided to go in a business tour to Sudan as was scheduled before. After finishing the formalities in the air port he was boarded on the plane. Before the take off, he was arrested on April 15, 2007 .
* The policy of the security systems is to arrest whomever they want regardless being charged or summoned. False charges come after arresting. This what exactly happened to Moniem who found no crime to be arrested for.
# Even the charges are not well-fabricated
* The charge waited for Abdul Moniem Mahomoud to face was, as usual, belonging to an out-lawed group and some other fool charges. But, the surprising one was that strange charge. He was charged with planning and financing a “military” parade for the Ikhwan group members in the Agricultural Cooperation Institute, in Shubra El Khayma. Abdul Moniem and the institute students were approved innocent from such a charge by the dean of the institute himself before the prosecutor.
# Released after a 45-day detention in custody
* After a 45-day detention in custody in Tura jail, the prosecutor released the blogger Abdul Moniem Mahmoud on May 30, 2007 . The prosecutor did not mention any legal cause for detaining or releasing him.
# In the state security premise, the naked reality exists
* After being released by the prosecutor, Abdul Moniem disappeared. He commented in this saying, “After being released, I was led to the headquarter of the state security in Alexandria , where an officer tried to convince me to work with him against the bloggers and the members of the Muslim brotherhood group.” “Since you are an officer and I am an Ikwan member, we will never cooperate”, decisively Abdul Moneim told the officer.
* It is good to mention that the real reason behind arresting Abdul Moniem and abusing him on that way, is his active performance as a blogger for Muslim brotherhood group (Ikhwan) and as a reporter for the Al Hiwar space channel, and also for telling the international news agencies about being tortured before.
3- The case of arresting tow persons working in the “middle east Christians” website.
* On August 8, 2007 both Adel Fawzi and Beter Ezzat were arrested and set before the prosecutors for seven times. A lawyer belonging to the Arabic Netwrok For Human Rights Information attended the interrogation sessions and recorded many violations against the fundamentals of fair interrogation such as,
- Urging the charged to refuse human rights organizations lawyers attendance
- abandoning the lawyer's and the charged right to read the complaint against them and investigation memorandum
- Exhausting the lawyers and the charged, on purpose, by starting the interrogation sessions late till the midnight in some cases
- Abandoning the charged right to record the lose of documents confiscated by the state security forces during arresting
- Asking illegal question that aimed at probing inside the charged like asking, “what's your opinion in…? what is your own stance towards..?”
- the prosecutor neglected the security forces act when they searched one of the charged mother's house without a legal permission from the prosecutor.
* The two suspected are now detained after being accused of religions contempt and spreading extremist thoughts on the internet that aiming at encouraging the sectarian sedition, and of spreading false new harming the public interest, according to the prosecutor statement. Besides, Fawzi was charged with having unlicensed gun. On November 4, 2007 they were released after repeated detention renewals.
