The second blogger to stay behind bars is Kareem Amer, whose lawyers received a refusal on their request to have the young blooger free, as he passed half of the period of his imprisonment sentence.

Amer was to pass 4 years in jail in 2007; he has been behaving properly during the past two years, which should give him the advantage of being released as stated in the Egyptian Penal Code.
Few days ago, Lawyer for the Arabic Network for Human Rights (ANHRI) submitted an appeal over the court refusal, to a higher court.

Good to point that both of Abu Fagr and Amer are now kept in the same prison in Alexandria, where numerous crimes of humiliation and ill-treatment took place.

Fares is blogging at Lesani Howa Qalami (My Tongue is My Pen). On Friday, 25 September, 2009, he received a phone call from States Security, and was asked several questions related to his blogging, then summoned to State Security office in Fayoum (North of Cairo) where Fares is living.

The young blogger (25 years) spent around four hours at the State Security headquarter, where he was interrogated about a strike to take place in October and about his political views.

Fares was interrogated by three police officers, one of them discussed with him a post appeared on his blog entitled “Those will spend the feast behind bars with accusation of loving Egypt” in which Fares reminded his readers about the fate of detained bloggers, like Mous'ad Abu Fagr, Ahmad Abu Doma, Kareem Amer and Hani Nazeer.

At the Sate Security headquarter, Fares was offered to stop his activism in exchange for becoming a member of the ruling Party's ‘elite', an offer that he politely refused.

After his release, many Egyptian bloggers covered their friend's experience, calling each others not go to State Security offices when they are summoned via the telephone, as it is not a legal order.

Fares was arrested previously on 2007 and 2009. His last arrest was on 5th April, 2008, while he was handing out flyers in his city calling people to take on the street and protest against the government, as a part of 6th April strike.

He and other inmates had been beaten by prison officers and had their heads shaved by force. Nazeer said that he has now been registered as a criminal detainee, which puts his life in danger as he will be imprisoned with drug dealers and murderers… He earlier complained to ANHRI lawyers that he was being pressured to convert to Islam in exchange for his freedom

Nazeer has been arrested for almost a year, as in 1st October 2008 he was taken from his house in Qena (Upper Egypt) with the help of the church and a wide welcome from local Muslims.

According to the ANHRI, the controversy began when some young Muslims were browsing Hani's blog Karaz Elhob (Love Cherries) and found a link to another site containing an electronic novel called “Azazil's Goat in Mecca” which included an attack on Islam. This novel is written by an anonymous author under the name of “Father Utah” and came in response to Yusuf Zidane's famous novel “Azazil,” which was considered by some conservatives as offensive to Christianity. Hani's village thought he was the author of the story.

For the time being, Hani's blog has no posts; all his articles seem to be removed. The arrested blogger used to criticize both of Muslims and Christians ‘fanatics' and mixing religion with politics.

Nazeer has been detained in Borg El-Arab prison in Alexandria, a place used to detain bloggers such as Musa'ad Abu Fagr, who was beaten up in his prison cell and Kareem Amer who has been subjected to severe torture which resulted in multiple injuries in addition to a broken tooth. Kareem Amer was deprived of the right to report the incident and of the right to document these injuries in a medical report. Two other bloggers were reported to have been tortured in Borg El-Arab like Kareem El-Beheiry and Mohammad Maree.

In order to scare them, and the rest of the egyptian blogsphere, bloggers are usually detained with criminals, or confined in isolation. However, this strategy failed to scare the Egyptian blogsphere which became actively engaged in protesting prison abuses and incommunicado detention.

These crimes against bloggers have occurred within the frame of the systematic phenomenon of torture all over the Egyptian police stations and prisons.

In this podcast, blogger Abdel Rahman Ayyash tells Global Voices Advocacy about his experience during the arrest:

The other released blogger, Magdy Saad, didn't speak to the media about his detention and his blog has not been updated. But according to Egyptian blogger Abedel Moneim Mahmoud, blogging at (Ana Ikhwan- (I'm a Muslim Brotherhood Member):

مجدي سعد 32 سنة أحد الكوادر الطلابية في منتصف التسعينات بجامعة القاهرة وناشط بجماعة الإخوان وسبق اعتقاله مرتين تعرض في الأولي منها للتعذيب علي يد أحد ضباط أمن الدولة بلاظغولي المحتجز به حاليا

Magdy Saad (32) used to be a student activist during the 90s, when he was studying at Cairo University. He is also a Muslim brotherhood member. Mahmoud added that the released blooger was arrested twice. During the first time, he was tortured in the State Security Intelligence (SSI) headquarters at Lazoghly Square, where he was kept this time as well.

Meanwhile, blogger Ahmad Abu Khalil, who was arrested on the same day, still disappeared. Nobody knows the whereabouts or why he is being arrested.

State Security forces broke into Ahmad's house and confiscated his books. The State Security did not inform his family about the accusations against the son, or as to where he will be taken. However, he is most likely being held in Nasr City State Security headquarter.

Ahmad who blogs at Al- Bayareq (means: lanterns), identifies himself as an “Islamist”. And he used to write about his life.

The other two bloggers are Abdel Rahman Ayyash and Madgy Saad, who have been arrested at the Cairo Airport, since yesterday night. The two bloggers were coming back from a visit to Turkey. Ayyash is running “Abdel Rahman's Blog‘ , while Madgy Saad is writing at “Yalla Mesh Mohem” blog, (means: OK it doesn't matter).

Egyptian bloggers are circulating the arrests news via Twitter. Other than that, there is no further reports on this case.

An this comes a few days after the 13th prolongation of Mosa'ad Abu Fagr's detention.

Abu Fagr was arrested on 26 December 2007, but the court and D.A issued eight order of release to him, even though he was kept behind bars.

The Sinai activist and novelist Fagr has a blog called Wedna Ne3eesh (We Want to Live) where he writes about the demands of Bedouins of Sinai, expressing their life and seeking they citizenship rights.

Diaa, who was released last March after being arrested and ill-treated, told Global Voices in a phone call, that a force of State Security raided his house two weeks ago, and searched his apartment, and the whole building where he is living. He said:

I was out when the police broke into the house. I find no explanation for searching the whole building, but terrifying the neighbors. State Security officials summoned me, more than one time.

Another blogger was banned from traveling, Abdel Mone'm Monieb the owner of a blog called Nahw El- Tagdeed (To Innovation), was traveling to Lebanon, where he was supposed to appear on a TV interview to discuss his book ‘A Map of the Islamic movements in Egypt'. He was stopped in the last minute and did not manage to catch his flight.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), the publisher of Monib's book, considered this banning a flagrant violation of basic human rights and citizenship, and said in a statement:

ANHRI strongly condemns such intimidation attempts and illegal pursuing of released political prisoners. The network also denounces the detention of the writer and denying him his right to travel and move. Such measures and continuing pressures on the writer are a deliberate violation of the human rights

Meanwhile in Alexandria, the blogger Kareem Amer is passing his 25th birthday behind bars, as sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment in 2007. Because of his posts on the blog, he was accused of defaming the president and insulting Islam.
Kareem, now in Borg El Arab prison in Alexandria, reports to his lawyers that he is steadily being exposed to violation of his rights from prison officers who told him they will carry on “until you go back on what's in your head”.

What seems to be positive this week was a court decision to stop the detention order for blogger and activist Mus'ad Abu Fagr, which means that he should be released immediately. Abu Fagr, who is blogging on Wedna Ne3eesh (we just want to live), has been arrested since 26 December 2007.

Even the decision seems to be good news, Abu Fagar still in prison. The Ministry of Interior used to issue a new detention order after every decision by D.A to realse him.

Meanwhile, the prominent politician and former candidate for presidency Ayman Nour, held a conference in solidarity with the blogger Tamer Mabrouk, who was fined with L.E. 2500 (446 USD), and civil compensation of L.E. 40.000 (7272 USD), because of some writings on his blog Al-Hakika Al-Masreyya (The Egyptian Truth)

Nevertheless, the conference took place in Port Said (Suez Canal), where Mabrouk is living. It was not only to support Mabrouk, but other bloggers were also mentioned. The invitation to the conference reads:

Ayman Nour, the head of Al-Ghad party invites you to attend a conference in solidarity with the blogger Tamer Mabrouk and all opinion prisoners
As not to repeat the misery of Mohammad Adel, Kareem Amer and Mus'ad Abu Fagr.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) said that state, few days ago, security officers forced an owner of numerous internet cafes in Egypt to inform police officers with the name and ID number of those customers who browse “political” websites.

ANHRI released a detailed statement reporting that security forces raided an Internet cafe in Cairo and asked for the visitors' registration book with all details on visitors activities from the beginning of the café's work, the statement adds:

When the owner of the place told police that there are no books; they had taken his ID card and the license of the café. Moreover they confiscated the equipments of internet service, and took him along to the Security Directorate in Giza. There he was forced to sign a minute charging him of practicing ‘an activity without a license

This act has roots since 2005, as reportedly the state security officers forced the owners of Internet cafes to register the names and identity numbers of those who visit the cafes frequently. Usually the officials don't deny such an act, meanwhile there is no law or governmental decision for that.

Good to note that there is a big number of internet café all over Egypt, where people can access the web for entertainment, research and blogging; especially that internet prices are really cheap (1EGP=20cent/Hour).

Mabrouk revealed in his blog that Trust Chemical had dumped chemicals into Manzallah Lake and the Suez Canal, which have catastrophic effects on water and fish. In his blog, he is putting a badge calling the visitor to stand together against this factory, which is polluting the environment. Mabrouk also reported on harsh working conditions in the company.

This sentence is to be the second case in Egypt of punishing a blogger for what he writes on the internet. The first case is the blogger Kareem Amer, who has been in jail as sentenced for 4 years because of posting anti-Islam writings and insulting the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak on his blog.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information and Mosawah Association for Human Rights in Port Said expressed their strong condemnation over the rule in a joint press release, quoting the sentenced blogger:

Tamer Mabrouk received a harsh and unjust sentence, said: “I will continue what I started, and will not stand helpless in front of the influence of this company which threatens our lives and suppresses its workers”

Mohsen was arrested on April 29th, 2009, after a State Security force broke into his house in Fayoum govern-ate (North) and searched it. As Mohsen was already moved to Upper Egypt, a police officer summoned him to the prosecution office in Fayoum.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights (ANHRI), described the accusation as a ‘comic' one, stating:

It is normal for a State Security officer to tell lies, but when the Public Prosecution believes this lie and approves to imprison a young blogger for exploitation of the democratic climate, this is black comedy, what democracy did this young man exploit

Mohsen is a young doctor; he is from Fayoum, but living and working on Minya. He introduces himself in the profile of his blog as: “Ahmed Mohsen Abdul Rahman, a doctor who is concerned with freedom causes. […] trying to open [his] eyes and watch what is going on, in order to understand it!”

The detained blogger started his online activities in 2006, with the blog Fattah Einek (Open your eyes) where he used to write about human rights situation in Egypt and in his small governorate of Fayoum, and writes poems about freedom and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also blogged about his experience when arrested on May 2006 because of his online writings about torture. He is among the first Egyptian bloggers to expose torture practiced by the Interior Ministry in the governorate of Fayoum.

The Arabic Blogger union published a memo in solidarity with Mohsen, more than 225 bloggers and journalists signed it so far, the union is targeting 1000 signatures.

The prominent Egyptian NGO Hisham Mubarak Center for Law (HMCL) issued a report, titled “Egypt on the Crossroad …2008“, documenting the status of freedom of expression in the country during the year 2008, including the detention and harassment of bloggers.

The report (download the report in Arabic) has an exclusive section of the violations related to Internet activism, using the term “internet activists” instead of “bloggers”, though the latest is more common used. The authors of the report investigated the web-based organizing campaigns by Internet users in Egypt and the use of services like Facebook.

‘Egypt on the Crossroad …2008′ also noted the continuation of the detention of three bloggers, counting them as prisoners of opinion:

2008 witnessed the detention of three prisoners of opinion: Mosaad Abu Fagr, Yahia Abu Nosera and Kareem Amer. 2008 started and ended while the three are behind bars, because of accusations related to their views.

Beside the aforementioned bloggers, the report mentioned that more than 43 Internet user were harassed in 2008 by police, because of their online activities. “Egypt on the Crossroad” listed a number of events where the Internet has played a major role in organizing such as 6th April general strike, Egypt Valentine Day and solidarity caravans to Gaza.

On the same day of issuing this report, ANHRI issued a statement to express its strong condemnation and dismay at the continued detention of the Christian blogger Hani Nazeer since October 3rd 2008. The blogger remains in detention at Burj Al Arab prison, suffering harsh conditions as he is being held with common criminals.

His arrest occurred with the collaboration of the Church in Naga Hammadi, his hometown in Qena Governorate. Nazeer is the author of “Karz elhob“

The Arabic Network for Human Rights reminded people with Aziz's case in a press release, stating:

The controversy began on October 1st 2008, when some young Muslims were browsing Hani's blog and found a link to another site containing an electronic novel called “Azazil's Goat in Mecca” which included an attack on Islam. This work was written by an anonymous author under the name of “Father Utah.” The novel came in response to Yusuf Zidane's famous novel “Azazil,” which was considered by some conservatives as offensive to Christianity.

Some young people in Hani's village became very angry and thought he was the author of the story. Security Forces took this opportunity to arrest Hani Nazeer in order to get rid of the problems raised by his blog because of his strong opposition to both Muslim and Christian hardliners.