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Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'

Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'

Abdel Kareem Soliman

Soliman was arrested for his "insulting" blog posts in November
An Egyptian court has sentenced a blogger to four years' prison for insulting Islam and the president.

Abdel Kareem Soliman's trial was the first time that a blogger had been prosecuted in Egypt.

He had used his web log to criticise the country's top Islamic institution, 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 thousands of bloggers.

Soliman, 22, was tried in his native city of Alexandria. He blogs under the name Kareem Amer.

A former student at al-Azhar, he called the institution "the university of terrorism" and accused it of suppressing free thought.

The university expelled him in 2006 and pressed prosecutors to put him on trial.

'Slap in the face'

During the five-minute court session the judge said Soliman was guilty and would serve three years for insulting Islam and inciting sedition, and one year for insulting Mr Mubarak.

Egypt arrested a number of bloggers who had been critical of the government during 2006, but they were all subsequently freed.

Hafiz Abou Saada of the Egyptian Human Rights Organisation called the sentence "a strong message to all bloggers who are put under strong surveillance".

The UK-based organisation Amnesty International said the ruling was "yet another slap in the face of freedom for expression in Egypt".

Fellow blogger Amr Gharbeia told the BBC it would not stop Egyptian bloggers from expressing opinions as "it is very difficult to control the blogosphere".

There have been no reported comments on the sentence from the Egyptian authorities.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/6385849.stm




No freedom to blog I guess? Sad, considering Egypt is as liberal as it gets down there.

i just read about this.

this is disgusting. what a backwards country.

Re: Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'

quote:

Originally posted by Dopey A former student at al-Azhar, he called the institution "the university of terrorism" and accused it of suppressing free thought.

I guess he was right.

Re: Re: Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'

quote:

Originally posted by Sunsnail I guess he was right.

Ditto!
poor guy, but if he would of Blogged about the Evil Jews or Devil West, he would of had a street named after him what a pathetic country

Don't worry, it's very likely we'll loose that civil liberty too. And most of you will be more than willing to give it up when fear compromises your judgement.

Re: Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'

quote:

blogosphere

This sort of thing happens in the damnedest of places...

quote:

The prosecutor in this case, Daniel Kasaris, allegedly offered DuBois a deal where he would receive misdemeanor charges in exchange for no longer blogging and no longer maintaining contact with Baumgartner.

rest of it...

and here...

quote:

San Francisco independent journalist and video blogger Josh Wolf was arrested yesterday for refusing a federal grand jury�s request to turn over video he shot of a burning police car during last year�s G8 protest.

rest of it

quote:

Originally posted by Lilith This sort of thing happens in the damnedest of places... rest of it... and here... rest of it

Yes, this is a sad thing as well, but several police were attacked and hurt in the SF thing, but I see your point. But to compare this to that is kind of a big lllllllllllllooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggg stretch
The Egypt blogger 1.) did not witness a crime. 2.) did not have evidence that could help convict a person or persons that committed a crime 3.) possess evidence that showed the attack on persons and property.
this poor soul was just writing on a internet blog-----
both cases are sad, but if you can get into trouble for blogs or forums, then I know a few that would be sitting in jail right about now. me included. Thank the gods I live in country that is free. .... for now at least.......

Cases are dissimilar, but the end result is, if you piss off the government for posting stuff on the internet or not giving them what they want, you can end up in trouble.

quote:

Originally posted by Lilith Cases are dissimilar, but the end result is, if you piss off the government for posting stuff on the internet or not giving them what they want, you can end up in trouble.

or worse yet, have a slightly over weight Hispanic who works nights track you down and send a few Treasury Dept. Elliot Ness wanna be's to your door and audit your ass. ha ha ha ha

having a badge and a 10 key adding machine, so macho!!! ha ha ha

Wrong country!
Besides, I've been audited 4 times in the last 6years so it's not like they frighten me.

I'm going to buy ice cream
Probably chocolate

and I'm not going to share it!

Re: Re: Re: Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'

Yes u are right but this is against political and governmental counciles

quote:

Originally posted by LazFX Ditto! poor guy, but if he would of Blogged about the Evil Jews or Devil West, he would of had a street named after him what a pathetic country

Sarcistic and awkard

quote:

Originally posted by shaolin_Z Don't worry, it's very likely we'll loose that civil liberty too. And most of you will be more than willing to give it up when fear compromises your judgement.

Yeah but we haven't yet. So our country is still superior in that aspect.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'

quote:

Originally posted by M.Johan Yes u are right but this is against political and governmental counciles

By that logic, every American that speaks out against Bush & Co. should be jailed. Can't say I would cry for the Dixie Chicks.

This is interesting...

quote:

Turkey slaps ban on YouTube March 8, 2007 - 1:20AM A Turkish court ordered access to YouTube's website blocked Wednesday, after a prosecutor recommended the ban because of videos allegedly insulting the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Paul Doany, head of Turk Telekom, Turkey's largest telecommunications provider, said his company had immediately begun enforcing the ban. "We are not in the position of saying that what YouTube did was an insult, that it was right or wrong," Doany told the state-run Anatolia news agency. "A court decision was proposed to us, and we are doing what that court decision says." Visitors to the YouTube site from Turkey were greeted with the message: "Access to this site has been blocked by a court decision!..." A message in both Turkish and English at the bottom of the page said, "Access to http://www.youtube.com site has been suspended in accordance with decision no: 2007/384 dated 06.03.2007 of Istanbul First Criminal Peace Court." Doany said Turk Telekom would allow access to the popular video sharing site again if the court decision were rescinded. Access from Turkey might be possible through other service providers, he said. During the past week, Turkish media publicized what some called a "virtual war" between Greeks and Turks on YouTube, with people from both sides posting videos to belittle and berate the other. The video prompting the ban allegedly said Ataturk and the Turkish people were homosexuals, news reports said. The CNN-Turk website featured a link allowing Turks to complain directly by e-mail to YouTube about the "insult." On its front page Wednesday, the newspaper Hurriyet said thousands of people had written to YouTube and that the Ataturk videos had been removed from the site. "YouTube got the message," the headline said. Insulting Ataturk or "Turkishness" is a crime in Turkey punishable by prison. Turkey, which hopes to join the European Union, has been roundly condemned for not doing enough to curb extreme nationalist sentiments and to protect freedom of expression.

SMH

Midnight Express anyone for writing or making nasty video things about Ataturk!

quote:

Originally posted by Jake Benson Yeah but we haven't yet. So our country is still superior in that aspect.

The thing is, ever since 1776, people like Z have constantly preached thier Doom and Gloom of the US. I was one of them back in the early 90s.... So full of myself cause I was in college, learning, reading, writting and thinking every one older than me was stupid and had no clue.
Then I got a job, started to see the real world other than the inside of a college classroom....

quote:

During the past week, Turkish media publicized what some called a "virtual war" between Greeks and Turks on YouTube, with people from both sides posting videos to belittle and berate the other.

haha! bloody turks! hellas!!!

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