Egypt blogger jailed for ‘insult’
Egypt blogger jailed for ‘insult’
An Egyptian court has sentenced an internet blogger to four years’ prison for insulting Islam and the president.
Abdel Kareem Nabil’s trial was the first time that a blogger had been prosecuted in Egypt.He had used his weblog to criticise the country’s top Islamic institution, the al-Azhar university and President Hosni Mubarak, whom he called a dictator.
A human rights group called the verdict “very tough” and a “strong message” to Egypt’s many thousands of bloggers.
Most disturbing news, but they are to be expected. I believe news of the sort, “crackdowns on bloggers,” will grow in number during the next two years. I joke sometimes to Yoda, before posting something even remotely daring, that he should pray I do not go to prison for it.
Judging by the look of things, I just might. One day.
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February 22nd, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Strong and tough message to Egypt’s many thousands of bloggers? or non-believers? <br />
February 22nd, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Thanks for the update, Tololy. I wouldn’t be surprised if you took a strong stand someday.
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:07 pm
[…] The news today of Egyptian Blogger Abdel Karim Amer’s sentence sent shockwaves throughout the blogosphere and human rights activists alike. Karim’s case has been the 400 pound gorilla in the room, so to speak. His detention was reminiscent of that of another Egyptian blogger last year, Alaa Seif. But unlike Alaa, who was not detained for what he wrote on his blog, Karim was. So his own words, mainly against AlAzhar and Mubarak, were used against him by a regime that is growing increasingly allergic to anything associated with freedom of speech or criticism. […]
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:37 pm
<p>As salaam alaikum.</p>
<p>What concerns me most of all about these sorts of ‘crackdowns’ is who and what decides the standards and limits of expression.</p>
<p>We see what free speech looks like in the USA, if you compare that to freedom in Saudi Arabia or Britain or Pakistan or Canada the limits are determined by social, religious, secular or corporate standards.</p>
<p>There is no such thing — you have freedom of speech — just watch what you say.</p>
<p>Wa salaama,</p>
<p>nuh ibn</p>
February 24th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
How do the laws against offending religion in Jordan compare to those in Egypt? Any idea?<br /><br />If you haven’t done so already, please sign the <a href="http://www.freekareem.org/">petition (all three of them, actually).</a><br /><br />Even <a href="http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=24553&only&rss">LGF</a>, <a href="http://michellemalkin.com/archives/006928.htm">Michelle Malkin</a>, and other, mostly right-wing, blogs have been covering this in the past few days.<br /><br />Unsurprisingly, the left-wing blogosphere in the U.S., which always claims to champion human rights and civil liberties, doesn’t care. If this Egyptian blogger were a Gitmo detainee picked up on a battlefield in Afghanistan, it would probably be a different story.<br />
February 24th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Thanks for the comments everyone.<br /><br />Tommy, I think you just might be doing the American left-wing blogosphere a little injustice. And definitely, the rightists hop on such a generalization to magnify negativity/utilize hostile propaganda — which is quite their habit.<br />