Kareem Amer
Kareem Amer | |
---|---|
Born | Kareem Nabil Suleiman Amer 17 June 1984 Alexandria, Egypt |
Nationality | Egypt, Norway |
Occupation | blogger |
Known for | 2007–2010 imprisonment |
Kareem Nabil Suleiman Amer (
Background
Kareem Amer, an
In 2004, Amer began expressing his reformist views at "Modern Discussion", as well as "Copts United" by 2005. By mid-2006, he discontinued publishing at Copts United because he accuses them of limiting his writings to only criticizing Muslims and not
First arrest
Amer first came to the attention of Egyptian authorities after he published a series of blog writings highly critical of the Muslim role in the deadly
On 26 October 2005, Amer was arrested for the first time by Egyptian state security agency Amn al-Dawla for anti-religious posts on his blog. He was detained for twelve days, and his books and personal writings were confiscated.[8]
Expulsion from al-Azhar
Early in 2006, Amer was expelled from al-Azhar University, Damanhour Campus, for criticizing some of the university's Islamist instructors, writing in his blog that the "professors and sheikhs at al-Azhar who ... stand against anyone who thinks freely" would "end up in the dustbin of history". He also posted writings that promoted secularism and women's rights.
Amer referred to the university as "the university of terrorism" and said that the institution stifles free thought.[1]
University administrators also filed a communiqué to the Public Prosecutor Office against their former student, alleging he was "spreading rumours endangering public security" and "defaming President Mubarak".
Second arrest
On 6 November 2006, Amer was again detained by the public prosecutor's office after it questioned him about his writings on "Modern Discussion" that were considered by authorities to be of an irreligious nature, and because of al-Azhar's complaint to the Public Prosecutor Office.
The Public Prosecutor told Amer that if he did not abandon his views, even though personal, he may be imprisoned. Nevertheless, Amer insisted on his right to freedom of expression. Consequently, Egyptian prosecutors ordered that Amer be held in a detention center in Alexandria until 22 November at least.[9]
Amer was charged with:
- Atheism, due to some blog posts, such as "There is no God except the Human being" (in Arabic لا إله إلا الإنسان);[10][11]
- Spreading information and malicious rumors that disrupt public security
- Defaming the president of Egypt
- Incitement to overthrow the regime based upon hatred and contempt
- Incitement to hate "Islam" and to breach public peace standards
- Highlighting inappropriate issues that harm the reputation of Egypt and spreading these publicly[12]
Trial
Amer defended himself by saying, "I don't see what I have done ... I expressed my opinion...the intention was not anything like these [charges]."[13] Defence lawyers argued that crimes related to the Internet were new in Egypt and that the penal code did not cover them. Prosecution lawyer Mohamed Dawoud stated, "I want him [Nabil] to get the toughest punishment ... I am on a jihad here ... If we leave the likes of him without punishment, it will be like a fire that consumes everything."[13] The blogger's father, Nabil Sulaiman, mocked the human rights organizations which tried to release his son. He called for applying Islamic Law "allowing him to repent within three days before killing him if he will not", according to the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm.[14]
On 22 February, the judge said Nabil was guilty and would serve three years for insulting Islam and inciting sedition, and one year for insulting Mubarak.[1] An appeals court upheld the sentence on 13 March 2007.[15]
Reaction
United States
United States Congressmen
Democracies must allow for freedom of speech and certainly for the tolerance of diverse religious beliefs. I laud Mr. Amer's recognition that violence in the name of religion is unacceptable. I urge the Egyptian government to free Mr. Amer and to protect its citizens from persecution.[16]
Italy
Three Italian MPs, former
NGOs
Amnesty International designated Amer a prisoner of conscience, "imprisoned simply for exercising his right to freedom of expression". After Amer's release, the organization called for Egypt to investigate his allegations that he was tortured while in custody.[18] Human Rights Watch described Amer's arrest as a "chilling precedent" and called for his immediate release.[19] The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information called Amer's sentencing a "gloomy day for freedom of expression in Egypt" and also urged his release.[20]
UK
Release
Amer was briefly freed on 5 November 2010, having served the full four years of his sentence. He was quickly rearrested by the Interior Ministry and detained for eleven additional days, during which time he later stated that he was tortured. Following his second release on November 16, he stated that he had no regrets for his previous words, and intended to continue blogging.[24]
Role in 2011 Egyptian revolution
During the
References
- ^ a b c "Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'". BBC News. February 22, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2007.
- ^ Radsch, C. (2010). "First Egyptian Blogger Imprisoned for Writings is Released". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
- ^ Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (2010). "Prior to his Release After Spending Four Years in Prison State Security Officer Beat Kareem Amer and Held him Illegally". ANHRI." Retrieved November 23, 2010.
- ^ a b c Hege (30 January 2015). "Fritenkeren som er en stolt "rasist og islamofob"". Rights.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 September 2017.
- ^ Kareem Amer. (2006). “تنويه هام جدا بخصوص موقع الأقباط متحدون ومقالى الأخير” (A Very Important Notice Regarding the Copts United Web Site and My Last Article) كريم عامر (Kareeem Amer's Arabic blog). Retrieved January 28, 2007.
- ^ The play itself was performed in 2003, but only became an issue in 2005 when DVDs of the performance began to circulate in Alexandria.
- ^ Moger, R. and J. Ehab. (2005). "All over a play: Sectarian riots leave three dead and more than 100 injured". Cairo Magazine. Retrieved November 15, 2006.
- ^ The Associated Press. (2005)."Egyptian blogger detained for anti-Islamic posts"[permanent dead link]. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved November 15, 2006.
- ^ Press release. (2006). "Officials order blogger 'Kareem Amer' held for another two weeks" Archived 2013-11-05 at the Wayback Machine. Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved November 15, 2006.
- ^ Kareem Amer (2006). لا إله إلا الإنسان (in Arabic). Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ Claire Ulrich (26 August 2014). "Aliaa, l'Egyptienne qui provoque l'Etat islamique". Atlantico (in French). Retrieved 9 September 2017.
- ^ Kareem FAQ: Frequently asked questions Archived 2008-12-17 at the Wayback Machine - freekareem.com. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
- ^ a b Hamza Hendawi (February 2, 2012). "Egyptian court to issue verdict Feb. 22 for blogger accused of insulting Islam". Taiwan News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ عائلة طالب الأزهر المتهم بـ«ازدراء الأديان» تتبرأ منه قبل الحكم عليه. Al-Masri Al-Youm (in Arabic). February 18, 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ "Egypt: 4-year Sentence for Blogger Upheld". The New York Times. Associated Press. March 13, 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- United States Congressman Trent Franks. January 24, 2007. Retrieved February 17, 2007.
- ^ "Support from Italy". Free Kareem!. February 11, 2007. Archived from the original on February 25, 2007. Retrieved February 17, 2007.
- ^ "Egypt must investigate torture allegations made by freed blogger". Amnesty International. November 18, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ "Egypt: Blogger's Imprisonment Sets Chilling Precedent". Human Rights Watch. February 22, 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ "Gloomy Day for Freedom of Expression in Egypt: Tough sentence for four years against Kareem Amer". Arabic Network for Human Rights Information. February 22, 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ "Egyptian Blogger Kareem Amer Released from Prison". PEN America. November 16, 2012. Archived from the original on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
- ^ Noam Cohen (July 17, 2008). "Wikipedia Goes to Alexandria, Home of Other Great Reference Works". The New York Times. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ "Euro MP Derek Clark Speaks for Kareem Amer". FreeKareem.org. March 14, 2007. Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ Sarah Mikhail (November 24, 2010). "Egypt blogger says jail won't stop future activism". Reuters. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ "Egyptian blogger freed after 3 days in detention". The Jerusalem Post. Associated Press. February 11, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
External links
- Amer's blog, كريم عامر- (in Arabic)
- Free Kareem Campaign to free the Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Soliman