ANHRI: Egyptian Internet Bloggers Vulnerable To Arrest & Persecution

ANHRI: Egyptian Internet Bloggers Vulnerable To Arrest & Persecution

“In the same time when the famous Egyptian blogger Nora Yunus is being honored to receive the ‘Public Activist’ prize by the great US organization “Human Rights First” for her efforts in human rights and calling for democracy in Egypt, security forces launches a fierce anti-bloggers campaign”, Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) stated on last Thursday.


The campaign hit a Christian blogger called Hani Nazir from Qena as well as other Islamist bloggers including Mohamed Khairi from Faiom, Mohamed Adel and Belal Alaa from Gharbyia, Hosam Yahia from Daqahlyia, and the composer of “Freedom Voice” blog, the ANHRI asserted.


Security forces arrested two brothers of Hani Nazir as hostages till he gave himself up to the police. In October 3rd, Nazir knew that the police would arrest his sisters, so he surrendered the same day. Afterwards, he disappeared till the ANHRI realized that he was detained under the Emergency Law; the resort law of Interior Ministry to oppress the opposers.


As for the Islamist blogger Mohamed Khairi; Engineering student at Cairo University, he had had his house stormed into on October 22nd. Security forces arrested him and seized his PC and other belongings.


Other detainees; Mohamed Adel, Belal Alaa, and Hosam Yahia, anticipated the capture and escaped before the arrival of the predawn visitors of the state security forces.


Executive manager of the ANHRI; Gamal Eid, said “It is in no way haphazard to launch such heinous anti-bloggers campaign same time the other blogger is being honored abroad. The Egyptian government holds the bloggers responsible for the disclosure of all human rights and laws violations as part of their role in calling for democracy in Egypt” and added “this campaign is a reply to the message of the ‘Human Rights First’ organization that shows support and endorsement of bloggers’ efforts”.


He added that all bloggers neither did violations nor broke any laws and that if Egypt was really enjoying the least quantum of law respect or democracy, it would simply put a stop to such violations and attain real cultural and legal solutions for the status quo. He said the regime failed to intimidate the bloggers even through the Emergency Law.