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May 16th, 2008

Egypt: Torture for Bloggers and Activists

Amira Al Hussaini · 20:59 · Middle East & North Africa

Egyptian bloggers, cyberactivists and activists on the ground continue to pay the price for speaking up against the rising cost of living and calling for higher wages and a better life. What started as a call for a strike on April 6, quickly spiralled out of control, with a face off between rioters, protesters and the police. Here's an account of what has happened and is still happening to some of the activists who have used the worldwide web to spread news of what is happening at home.

During the unrest, on April 6 and 7, Egyptian bloggers worked round the clock telling the world about the workers' revolt that shook their country, as thousands rioted at a textile mill in Al Mahalla. They were also among the first casualties of the unrest, which left some killed, scores injured and an undetermined number of activists, organisers and mere spectators behind bars. Their coverage came in the form of blog posts, YouTube videos, Twitter feeds, Flickr shots, Facebook messages and all other online tools they could get their hands on.

The saga seems to continue, as some activists are still detained, six weeks after their arrest, prompting calls from their colleagues for their immediate release. Others, allegedly harassed, physically abused and later released by the police, continue to use online tools to tell the world their story.

Ahmed Maher

This is one of many images of the back of Egyptian Facebook user Ahmed Maher, taken by award winning blogger Wael Abbas and posted here, under the title: The Newest Egyptian Method to Find Out Your Facebook's Account Password.

أحمد ماهر هو المؤسس الحقيقي لجروب الإضراب على الفيس بوك وليست إسراء عبد الفتاح كما زعموا والسبب في وجود إسمها وحدها على الجروب الآن هو أن فيس بوك أوقفت حساب أحمد ماهر لأنه كان يرسل عدد ضخم من الرسائل يوميا ليضم أعضاء للجروب وكان هذا المجهود هو سبب إنضمام أكثر من سبعون ألف عضو للجروب فإعتبره سبامر واوقفوا حسابه بينما كان كل دور إسراء هو المساعدة في الإدارة وحذف التعليقات المسيئة فقط لكن بعض وسائل الإعلام كانت تبحث عن قصة شيقة وبالونة لنفخها ولم يكن همهم أبدا الدقة في المعلومة أو البحث عن الحقيقة والقصة السليمة مما أضر بالحركة الوطنية من اجل التغيير ككل وبمصداقية نشطاء الإنترنت خصوصا وهو أمر لا يمكن التسامح ف

Ahmed Maher is the real founder of the Strike's Facebook Group and not Esraa Abdulfattah as everyone assumed. The reason why her name alone appears on the group until now is because Facebook suspended Ahmed Maher's account because he used to send huge numbers of messages daily for new members to join the group. It was as a result of this effort that more than 70,000 members joined. They considered him as a spammer and closed his account while Esraa's role was to help in administrating the site and deleting derogatory comments only. Some media organisations, which were looking for an exciting story and a balloon to blow, were not concerned with the accuracy of the story or looking for the truth. This has negatively impacted the national movement for change overall and the credibility of cyberactivists, in particular and this is an issue we can't forgive.

Elijah Zarwan tells us what happened to Maher:

I’ve just heard from a friend that Ahmed Maher, a 27-year-old engineer quoted in the Western press as a May 4 Facebook activist, is alleging that he was beaten in State Security custody. Details are still sketchy, but apparently State Security called him in for a “friendly” coffee earlier this week. When he didn’t go, my friend tells me, State Security took him from his home in the middle of the night, beat him, and released him with the warning that they were “just pulling his ear” this time, and that next time would be worse. He is reportedly in hospital now.

And Abbas posts the following video showing the extend of torture Maher has been subjected to:

In the video [Ar], Maher says how his clothes were ripped off by the police and then shows us scars on his back which he says were caused by policemen beating him on his back with their bare hands.

Blogger Hossam el Hamalawy links to a newspaper report on what happened to the Facebook user and how he was arrested and tortured by police here.

Hamalawy also draws our attention to the plight of blogger and activist Kareem Al Beheiri, who has been behind bars since April 7. He writes:

In an interview with el-Badeel, released Karama Party activist Ahmad Amin Ahmad Eid said that:

Kareem el-Beheiri was tortured in Mahalla’s State Security Police office for more than 18 hours. He told me his torturer was listening to the Quran while torturing him. I saw in Mahalla’s 2nd Police Station children no more than 13 years old, whose eyes and bodies were injured by rubber bullets. They said police kidnapped them from the hospital where they were receiving treatment and accused them of participating in the strike.

Hamalawy also reports that Mohamed Maree, a translator who was arrested along with American photojournalist James Buck, while interviewing the families of those arrested in Mahalla, has been tortured. While Buck was released and asked to leave the country, Maree continues to languish in prison, despite an outcry from activists for his release. Hamalawy writes:

The latest information we have on Mohamed was by rights lawyers who visited Bourg el-Arab Prison on Saturday:

We managed to visit Bourg el-Arab Prison today. It turned out that translator Mohamed Saleh Maree is detained as a ‘criminal’ after he was detained in the company of US journalist James Buck. The latter was released by the police in Mahalla after pressures from his embassy, but Mohamed Saleh was kept in custody despite a release order from the prosecutor. We couldn’t back then find out where he was kept. Today we visited him, and he mentioned he was tortured by beatings and electric shocks in Mahalla’s State Security office. Mohamed was also banned by the prison administration from taking his exam at the university.

Buck continue to fight for his colleague's freedom and is spearheading a campaign to draw the world's attention to his friend's plight. He has also set up a petition on his blog calling for Maree's release.

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Middle East & North Africa

“Three leftist activists were detained by the Jordanian police for putting up posters about the Nakba in the streets…” reports Hossam el Hamalawy, from Egypt.

May 15th, 2008

Middle East & North Africa

Or Does it Explode reports on a protest in Damascus, Syria, calling for the release of their relatives, who are imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. According to the blog, Saudi Arabia has sentenced to death at least 28 Syrians for drug possession and jailed hundreds more.

Middle East & North Africa

Egyptian blogger Hossam el Hamalawy reports that the Egyptian stock market continues to decline

Middle East & North Africa

Jordanian blogger Lulu, who lives in the US, draws our attention to an underwater cemetery, which sea lovers can choose to be buried in.

Middle East & North Africa

Jordanian Ahmed Humeid is excited Queen Rania of Jordan has mentioned a number of websites related to citizen journalism in a recent newspaper interview.

Middle East & North Africa

Lebanese blogger Maze, who lives in Kuwait, asks: Will peace ever prevail in Lebanon? He appeals to his countrymen: “wake up ..don't let those sick minds who are in power influence you…yes we are governed by sick leaders..leaders who care for their personal interests and how to make fortunes from wars…these are WAR LORDS!”

Middle East & North Africa

Window into Palestine announces the winners of the Expression of Nakba (catastrophe) online gallery.

Palestine: Sixty Years of Al Nakba

Amira Al Hussaini · 21:13 · Middle East & North Africa

Celebrations are under way to mark Israel's 60th anniversary - but for millions of Palestinians whose great grandparents, grandparents and parents were made refugees in the process, today marks Al Nakba - a day they were forced to flee their lands or were forcefully expelled from their homes as the State of Israel was born.

Lord Nabeel [Ar], who lives in Jordan, writes about how Palestinians in diaspora dream of the day they return to their homes - and how the dream is kept alive, one generation after the other. He says:

كفانا صبرا
ومع ذلك فالنصر قريب
والحق كالشمس مضيء
حق العودة كالشمس يضيء ويرق بعيون وقلوب
وعقول كل الأجيال الفلسطينية
حق ملكية المفتاح ينتقل من جيل لجيل
أجمل ما سمعت وشاهدت
( جد يقول لحفيده : - سيدي هذا مفتاح الدار اللي في بلدنا
وهو أمانه بعنقك إذا ما رجعت أنت أمانه تسلمه لأبنك
وما تنسوا يا سيدي الدار والبلد وفلسطين )
وأنا أقول وأستحلفكم بالله أن تقولوا لكل أبنائكم أن لا ينسوا
ابدا بيوتنا وأراضينا
وحقهم بالعوده لها مهما حصل وصار
حق العوده مطلب حق وأساسي لكل فلسطينيي الشتات
ستون عاما واليهود يحتفلون بإستقلال دولتهم
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
أي دوله
ومين كان محتلها
وكيف إستقلوا
أنا ما بحب الحكي الكثير
وزهقت ومليت من السياسه والتنظير
مليييييييييييييييييييت
قرفت بجد قرفت
قال إستقلال دولتهم
؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟
هههههههههههههههه
وإحنا شو نقول
؟؟؟
ستون عاما على نكبتنا
؟؟؟
ستون سنة على هجرتنا
ستون حولا على تعاستنا
ستون عاما على تشردنا
الله كلمات ذات معان جزله ومنمقه جدا
الله الله الله
حلوة كثير مش هيك ؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟
ومفتاح البيت ينتقل من يد ليد ومن جيل لجيل
ويا الله كم من جيل سيستلمه بعد هذا الجيل
يا ريت ما ينسى الجيل القادم شو يعني فلسطين ؟
يا ريت ما ينسى شو حق العوده بيعني له ولسيده وأبوه
؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟
خلص كفايه
بجد مليت من الحكي واللت والعجن
عن جد بيكفي حكي
سلام

We have had enough of waiting,
And despite this, victory is close,
And truth is as bright as the sun,
The right to return shines through the eyes, hearts
And minds of all generations of Palestinians,
The right of ownership of the key, is passed down one generation to the next.

One of the most beautiful things I have heard and seen is a grandfather telling his grandson: Sir, this key is for our house in our country. It is a trust. If you are not able to go back, give it to your son. Sir, I don't want you ever to forget our home, our country and Palestine.

And I ask you to promise to tell all your children never to forget our homes and our land, and their right to return, whatever happens. The right to return is an integral right to all Palestinians in diaspora.

The Jews are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the independence of their country!!!!!!
What country?
And who was occupying it?
And how did they become liberated?

I would like to say a lot but I am fed up of talking, of politics and of theories. Seriously fed up.
They say the independence of their country??????
Hehehe

And what do we say?
Sixty years for our catastrophe (Nakba)?
Sixty years of us being forced to leave our home?
Sixty years of our misery?
Sixty years of us not finding a home?

Words with a lot of meanings? Aren't they nice?
And the key to that house being passed on from hand to hand, from one generation to the other, and God only knows how many generations it will still be passed on to.

I hope the next generation don't forget what Palestine means. I hope they don't forget what the right to return means to themselves and their fathers.

I am now seriously fed up of talking. Enough of talk.

Peace.

Still in Jordan, The Black Iris shares with us the following apology to Palestine on the 60th anniversary of Al Nakba, saying:

It’s been 60 years
And I am sorry for your loss
I am sorry for your continued loss
I am sorry for the sorrow
I am sorry for the grief
I am sorry for the bloodshed
I am sorry for the apathy
I am sorry for the indifference
I am sorry for the sympathy
I am sorry for the empathy
I am sorry for the funerals
I am sorry for the casualties
I am sorry for the politics
I am sorry for the history
I am sorry for the ongoing history
I am sorry for the injustice
I am sorry for the ongoing injustice
I am sorry for the past
I am sorry for the present
I am sorry for the future
I am sorry for the massacres
I am sorry for the darkness
I am sorry for the seconds
I am sorry for the minutes
I am sorry for the hours
I am sorry for the days
I am sorry for the weeks
I am sorry for the months
I am sorry for the years
I am sorry for the time we remained silent
I am sorry for the time we will continue to remain silent
I am sorry for not speaking enough
I am sorry for not saying enough
I am sorry for not caring enough
I am sorry for not writing enough
I am sorry for not acting enough
I am sorry for not saying sorry enough
I am sorry for the heart ache
I am sorry for the tragedies
I am sorry for this legacy
I am sorry for this exodus
I am sorry for this catastrophe
I am sorry for this calamity
I am sorry for this apology
And all other apologies
That seem to never
ever
end

Egyptian blogger Zagazig [Ar] has a different take on the issue and writes:

اليوم هو يوم التدوين عن فلسطين ….واليوم هو أيضا يوم التدوين عن النكبه …النكبه التي يصر الجميع - ولا أدري السبب – علي تسميتها النكبة وليست الهزيمة …ربما !!
.فلسطين التي كانت منذ سته عقود فقط ملكنا ! – ولو إسما – فلسطين التي كان الحجاج منذ سته عقود فقط لابد وحتما أن يمروا عليها وهم ذاهبون وهم عائدون من الحج …فلسطين التي كانت منذ عقود بسيطة تابعه لمصر – ولو إداريا - ، فلسطين هي الأرض التي يغني لها كل العرب من ستون عاما ” عائدون ….عائدووووووووون ” ولكن ياللحسرة فلم يعد أحد !!
….فلسطين هي أيضا الأرض التي يصر الجميع أننا بعد ستون عاما ” للعوده أقرب ” …علي الرغم أنهم لا يملكون – علي الأقل – أمخاخا تؤهلهم لهذه العوده !!
أما الكيان – إسرائيل – الذي يهنيء اليوم قائدنا ورئيس شعبنا المغوار الكيان الصهيوني بمناسبه إحتلالهم لأرضنا المقدسة ،،
الكيان الذي يصر جميع العرب – ماعدا الرؤساء بالطبع – أن مصيرها إلي الزوال !!
مصيرها إلي الزوال وهي تنفق 6.5 % من دخلها القومي علي البحث العلمي بينما ننفق نحن 0.2 % من دخلنا القومي علي الإنتاج ….فعلا إلي الزوال !!!
مصر التي تنفق المليارات علي التسليح – ليس للحرب أيها الأذكياء – بل لصد هجوم الشعب – القله المندسه – عبر مليوني جندي أمن مركزي !!
إسرئايل دولة – فعلا وأؤكد – مصيرها إلي الزوال بينما الحسين بن طلال يبكي شهداء اليهود في الهولوكوست !!
إسرائيل – دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال – بينما تقضي عائله أمير قطر ” الويك إند ” علي شاطيء تل الربيع ” تل أبيب ” في قصرها الخاص هناك وأرسل طائرة خاصه لإعادتهم بعد أن هدد حسن نصر الله بقصف تل أبيب …
إسرائيل دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال بينما التجنيد هناك إلزاميا للنساء والرجال ،، ومن يتخرج من التجنيد يكون جنديا إحتياطيا طوال عمره …ليس التجنيد هناك بأن ” يتشمسوا قليلا ” بل بالتدريب علي السلاح بأنواعه !!
نعم إسرائيل دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال ،، وهم يمتلكون القدرة علي البكاء علي الهولوكست حتي الآن وممارسة حق تطبيق قانون معاداة الساميه القادر علي الإطاحه بأعلي رئيس دولة من منصبه ولهم القدرة أيضا علي المطالبه بتعويضات بملايين الدولارات – من مصر – لمساعدتها الإرهابيين في غزة ….بينما نحن لا نجرؤ ، أو لم نفكر بالأساس في المطالبه بتعويضات لشهدائنا في 67 أو شهداء الحدود ، سواء كانو جنودا أو مواطنين تم قنصهم بالعمد من أبراج الحراسه !! بينما رؤساؤنا الأفاضل يمارسون ضبط النفس بكل قوة وحكمة !
نعم إسرائيل دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال وهي تمتلك من الأسلحه النووية وتعلنها بأن لديها أسلحه نووية ، ونحن العرب نرفض بكل شهامة وسماحه خلق وأدب أن نمتلك سلاحا نوويا ، لأننا – نحن العرب – مسالمون !! ولأن إسرائيل هي دولة صديقه !!
ونعم إسرائيل دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال وهم يحاصرون مليونا ونصف المليون في غزة ويقتلونهم – عفوا يذبحونهم – ولا من أحد يحرك ساكنا …ولا من أحد يسمع صرخات الباكيين …

Today is the day to blog about Palestine. It is also the day to blog about the Nakba. I don't understand why everyone insists on calling it the Nakba and not the day of defeat! Perhaps …

Palestine was six decades ago ours! Palestine was the place pilgrims to Mecca used to stop by six decades ago on their way to and from Hajj. Palestine, which was just a few decades ago administratively under Egypt's rule. Palestine is the land all Arabs have been singing to “We will return .. We will return..” for 60 years. The misery is that no one has ever returned!!

Palestine is the land which everyone insists on saying - after 60 years - that we are getting closer to returning to it - even they don't even have the mentality to enable them for this return!! But all Arabs (except their leaders) still insist that the entity - Israel - which the leader of our people congratulates on the occasion of their occupation of our land, will cease to exist!

It will cease to exist when it spends 6.5 per cent of its gross national income on scientific research while we spend 0.2% of our income on production. It will certainly cease to exist!!
Egypt spends billions on armament, not for war you smart people but to fend off an attack from the public!! Israel is a country, which I insist, will no longer exist, while King Hussain bin Talal cries on the Jewish martyrs during the holocaust!! Israel, a country will won't be there, while the family of the Amir of Qatar spends the weekend on a beach in Tel Aviv, in its private palace there, and who had to be evacuated by private helicopters, after Hassan Nasrullah threatened to bomb Tel Aviv. Israel is on its way to oblivion, while military service is mandatory for men and women and whoever drifts from training is made a reserve soldier for the rest of his life. Military service there is not for tanning purposes is on training how to use different types of weaponry!!

Yes, Israel will cease to exist, and they have the ability to cry over the holocaust until now and are able to impose the anti-Semitic law, which is able to bring the downfall of any leader. They also have the ability to demand millions of dollars in compensations - from Egypt - for its help for the Gazan terrorists, while we don't have the courage, and have never thought, of asking for compensation for our martyrs from the war of 1967 nor for the martyrs of the borders, whether soldiers or civilians, who have been purposely targeted by snipers from the guard posts. All this is happening while our leaders are exercising self-control, with all strength and wisdom!!

Of course Israel will cease to exist, while it owns nuclear weapons and announces to the world that it has nuclear weapons, while we Arabs politely refuse to own nuclear weapons, because we Arabs, are pacifists!! And because Israel is a friendly country!!

Yes, Israel will soon cease to exist while it surrounds a million and half people in Gaza, which it is killing - excuse me, slaughtering - without anyone doing anything about it nor hearing the cries of those who sob..

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