Update on Karim Amer

Yesterday I wrote about Egyptian blogger Abdel Moneim's problems with the law and compared it to those of blogger Karim Amer. Today there is new information about Amer's case.
Two representatives of an Egyptian human rights consortium was able to meet with Amer this week. Activists have been concerned that Amer was sent into solitary confinement in prison for more than 60 days between March and May. The punishment was not justified, the representatives said and was in contradiction to normal Egyptian procedure. The confinement seemed to coincide with the appearance at the jail of Egyptian prosecutors.
There's been some controversy about funds raised for Karim's defense. Some of his opponents have used the efforts to label him as an outsider who is against Egypt and who is benefiting financially from the situation. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
While Karim doesn't need financial support for his defense, he does need other kind of support. The representatives sent out an appeal for people around the world to write Karim and offer support. He still faces a four year sentence, and while work is still continuing on his case, writing to him directly will be the best way for him to maintain his spirits. I encourage anyone who cares about the case to support him directly by writing. At a time when diplomatic and political approaches don't seem to work, we need to find other means to support Egyptian human rights defenders. Sometimes the most effective way to ensure they continue their work is to let them know they are not alone.
Below is his address.
Address of Correspondence
Alexandria
Borg Al-Arab Prison
Room 5 Section 2 -
Abdel Kareem Nabil Soliman

Karim Amer sentenced to Four Years

Blogger Karim Amer today was sentenced to four years in jail for "disparaging remarks about Egyptian President Mubarak," according to Egyptian activists. This very troubling result will bring about a further chilling climate for free speech and democratic activism, both online and in other public venues. Amnesty International has declared Karim to be a prisoner of conscience. In today's statement, Amnesty condemns the conviction.

"This sentence is yet another slap in the face of freedom of expression in Egypt," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Middle East and North Africa Deputy Programme Director. "The Egyptian authorities must protect the peaceful exercise of freedom of expression, even if the views expressed might be perceived by some as offensive. Amnesty International considers Karim Amer to be a prisoner of conscience who is being prosecuted on account of the peaceful expression of his views."

"It is a gloomy day for all the advocators of freedom of expression not only in Egypt but also in the whole world," Gamal Eid, HRinfo Executive director said. "When a young man is punished for having secular views in a country claiming respect to citizens' right to freedom of expression, it is a catastrophe. The democratic countries all over the world have already expelled such charges from their laws".

For a fuller update on the case, click here.

All activists are urged to take action. Once again the key places to protest are with the Egyptian ambassador.

Ambassador Nabil Fahmy
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Court N.W., Washington, D.C., 20008
202-895-5400

The embassy e-mail is embassy@egyptembdc.org

Habib Ibrahim El Adly
Minister of the Interior
25 Al-Sheikh Rihan Street
Bab al-Louk
Cairo
EGYPT
e-mail: moi@idsc.gov.eg

Counsellor Mamdouh Mohyiddin Marie
Minister of Justice
Ministry of Justice
Midan Lazoghly
Cairo
EGYPT
e-mail: mojeb@idsc.gov.eg

You can also support Karim by adding comments to his website, or by adding comments to the Free Kareem website here.

Keeping Up the Pressure on Blogger's Case

Amnesty today released a web feature on Karim Amer, the blogger facing a 10-year sentence for his blogging activities. Here's a link to the feature and a link to a previous statement on the case. And here is a link to Karim's own blog (in Arabic).

Charges against Karim Amer include "spreading information disruptive of public order and damaging to the country's reputation", "incitement to hate Islam" and "defaming the President of the Republic".

Amnesty states, "His trial is particularly worrying as the Egyptian blogsphere is expanding as an area of free expression and bloggers have increasingly been posting information about human rights abuses in Egypt, including allegations of torture and police violence against peaceful protesters. Their writings and postings of information on human rights violations, including graphic evidence of such abuses, have been relayed by international media and highlighted by national and international human rights organizations, putting pressure on the Egyptian authorities to open investigations into some of these allegations."

Amnesty has declared Karim to be a prisoner of conscience. If you want to take action on this case, in the U.S. you should write letters of support for Kareem to the Egyptian ambassador:

Ambassador Nabil Fahmy
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Court N.W., Washington, D.C., 20008
202-895-5400

You can also support Karim by adding comments to his website, or by adding comments to the Free Kareem website here.