Egypt

karim - أرب, 2008-11-05 18:00 By karim
In just a few days, I will have completed two years behind  bars in an Egyptian prison. It is no longer a matter of wonder to me; I am used to it and have lost the ability to think about it.  I can hardly remember that there is any other world outside the walls of this prison, and that there are people in it enjoying a level of freedom in which I have no share.  I can hardly remember that once I too shared their life in that other world, until the  domination of the despots, and the rising stars of those liars, those who claim the possession of the absolute truth.
I will have spent two years here, during which time I have been forced to languish alone amongst criminals, sellers of poison and shedders of blood, people who sabotage the mind and steal your dreams.  I have stayed among that kind of person, in a place designed for him and not for me, so I have chosen solitude in a world in which I found myself a stranger,
In my worst nightmares I would never have imagined that I would find myself in such a painful situation.  I was well intentioned, and extremely optimistic about bettering myself in the future.   I had set out in this way, challenging all forms of underdevelopment and backwardness that surrounded me until I woke up here.  I had never imagined that those elements would raise their hands and their weapons against me, and I little thought that they would seek out the help of the legal system in their battle against me.

sally - أحد, 2008-08-10 16:55 By salamander
I am always proud to be an Egyptian and will always be but sometimes things happen to further consolidate my love and passion for my country. Life is strange with its surprises. For me, most of its surprises are unpleasant, but the one I encountered on Friday night uplifted my mood so much that I haven't stopped smiling. Yet my heart aches. I miss my country so much. I miss its people, history, walking downtown late at night, my friends .. everyone. But what has been nagging me was my lack of impulsiveness. I who consider myself so spontaneous have failed to satisfy my curiosity to learn more about a random person I met coincidently.   On Friday night I have changed my rituals and instead of hanging out with my work colleagues I went to the west end for a change. I should have known better. The people I was with were lovely but the night did not take us anywhere exciting, so I decided to leave early and catch the tube. I hardly take the tube in London, they are disgusting especially on weekend nights. Everyone is so drunk and loud and you are stuck with them in this long dark and stale cylinder.  I was sitting there trying to avoid eye contact. That is a rule in London. People don't like being looked at or smiled at. So I am sitting, contemplating the night, my foul mood, my life, the tube, and focusing hard on not looking at anyone and there came an old couple.

sally - سبت, 2008-06-14 11:23 By salamander

Amnesty International issued a request for an urgent action and calls upon its members and non members to write to the Egyptian authorities to stop forcibly returning Eritrean assylum seekers to Eritrea where they will be at risk of torture and other ill treatment. 

 

For more information on these cases and on how to take action, read below:  

sally - جمع, 2008-05-02 20:54 By salamander
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

PUBLIC STATEMENT

AI Index: MDE 12/008/2008 (Public)

Date: 02 May 2008

Egypt: Assault on human rights defender a further obstruction to effective investigation of torture

The assault on a human right defender and doctor denouncing torture in Egypt two days ago is a disturbing development at a time when the Egyptian authorities purport to be combating torture.

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sally - جمع, 2008-04-11 21:37 By salamander
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENT AI Index: MDE 12/006/2008 (Public)

Date: 11 April 2008

Egypt: Arrests of Kefaya movement leaders, investigation needed into police killings

sally - خمي, 2008-01-17 14:02 By salamander
I was in Egypt on a holiday a few weeks ago. The only thing Egyptians talked about was the issue of subisdized bread. It was heartbreaking listening to people down the economic ladder talk about their daily suffering to ensure bread for their families. As I sat in the beauty salon, my traditional treat in Cairo, one of the women there was complaining.  "We are a family of 6. I have 4 children who all go to school. To be able to feed them daily I have to get the subsidized bread", she explained. "I stand in a queue forever and in the crowd. What can people do?

sally - أحد, 2007-12-09 18:26 By salamander
Very rarely do I find a feature in a newspaper that truly grabs my attention. The human element in the story below published in the San Francisco Chronicle reminded me so much of Cairo and its beautiful people, yet the economic injustice they suffer. If interested in Cairo, Egyptians, and want to learn more on how poor people in Egypt can be, read the following feature:<!--break-->

Cairo is a city of wrenching rooftop stories

Residents easily tell the circumstances of difficult lives, and every roof has a tale

Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times

Sunday, December 9, 2007

sally - أحد, 2007-10-07 03:48 By salamander

sally - ثلث, 2007-09-04 01:53 By salamander

The editor of the independent Al-Dostour Newspaper, Ibrahim Eissa, has been summoned by the State Security Prosecutor. Eissa is expected to attend an interrogation on Wedensday. According to the Press Syndicate, Eissa is to face prosecution over Al-Dostour's coverage of rumours about the state of health of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

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It is important to note that this comes following an article published in the state controlled Al-Ahram newspaper by Ahmed Moussa, insinuating a relation between Al-Dostour Newspaper and the Muslim Bortherhood.

For more information in Arabic visit Kefaya's website

In English, visit AFP's coverage of the recent development

 

 

sally - أحد, 2007-09-02 20:26 By salamander
Moneim , the Egyptian blogger who was recently released from prison in June 2007 is being threatened again. Ahmed Moussa, head of the crimes news department in the state controlled newspaper, Al Ahram, published a story in which he referred, without mentioning Moneim's name, to Moneim's activities, accusing the Muslim Brotherhood of infiltrating a private newspaper.  <!--break-->
For more information in English visit Nora Younis Blog To read Moneim's latest post, in which he details the threats against him and reveals his torturers click on the picture below