Posted on 05/07/2006 8:44:58 PM PDT by Uriah_lost
Alaa, blogger, co-founder of the egyptian blog aggregator Manalaa and democracy activist, got arrested today during a protest to support the Judiciary's branch fight for independence. He, and about 10 others, were rounded up in the street, beaten up and thrown in a police car. Amongst those who got arrested were at least 3 girls, and the police beat up at least another 2 girls as well.
The way it worked, the police made sure to press the demonstartors close to the egyptian musem, where they cordoned them and wouldn't let them leave, while continiously hurling insults at them. The demonstartors tried to get the police to let them go for half an hour, but no avail. The Police cordon then opend where a group of plainly dressed police officers and thugs rushed in and started beating up the demonstartors and dragging them on the asphalt till they threw them in the police vehicles. The Police also made sure that none of the satalite news channels would be able to get video footage of what they did by not allowing the press to come close and keeping them away the entire time.
Now, I don't know that this will be just a one night arrest thing or if they will try to make an example out of him and keep him arrested for a while. I am still waiting on that piece of news. But by all the gods in heaven, if they keep him more than another day I will start my own campaign and will not rest till we free him like we did AbdelKarim. I will be damned if we let the regime get away with this. So, readers, if things come to that, we will need your help. The Committe to protect bloggers is no more , we are on our own and the regime is getting more desperate, paranoid and brutal by the minute. We will most certainly need your support to get him out, but let's just hope it doesn't come to that.
For now, all we can do, is wait and see.
Rabena yostor!
Update: They've taken alaa to the state secuirty building in Heliopolis. Rumors I am hearing are not good, at all.
The contact information for the Egyptian embassy is below: The Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt 3521 International Ct. NW Washington DC 20008 Phone (202) 895 5400 Fax (202) 244 5131 (202) 244 4319 Email: embassy@egyptembdc.org
E-mail them, send them letters, harrass them. The last time you did that we got Abdel Karim released.
If this has been posted it was done while I was composing this post. I checked.
Humans rights are endowed to us all by God, not by any country we are born to.
If it becomes a tug of war for who's the boss, there's a body count. They will kill people to prove who is in charge. Protesting and complaining in such an environment is a high risk game. If you don't have the weapons for a direct assault you are at the regimes mercy. Being a pain in the rear end may not be the smart thing to do.
It is a good thing for America that men like Patrick Henry did not suscribe to a defeatist attitude in the face of overwhelming British military might.
Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death
They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?
Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
I salute Alaa...a freedom fighter in Egypt.
Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel.
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Alaa and 10 others were detained today (7 May 2006)
Submitted by Manal on Sun, 07/05/2006 - 19:37.
http://manalaa.net/
In the end of the protest in solidarity with the judges and the 49 detainees in the last week of April, police refused to let the protesters end the protest and go home, they brought more police forces then started tightening the circle around them, squeezing them..and then they started arresting people. They caught 11 young men and women and took them to Sayyeda Zeinab police station, they let go of of 3 of them later on.
List of names of the persons kept in Sayyeda Zeinab police station:
Alaa Ahmed Seif El Islam
Asmaa Ali
Nada El Qassas
Rasha Azzab
Karim El Shaer
Fady Eskandr
Ahmed Abdel Gawad
Ahmed Abdel Ghafour
List of those who were let go:
Sara Abdel Geleel
Mohammed Awaad
Yasser Abbas Mohammed
Wait a sec... didn't President Bush look into Hosni's soul and become best buddies?
Wow! how clever of you!
The latest update at Manalaa.net says that the protesters are going to be held for 15 days....more info here:
http://www.manalaa.net/alaa_detained_15_days
Have you verified the ID of this pet blogger? Seems like there’s a bit of juvenile feeeelings about this person.
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