Kareem Amer

Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman Amer ( _ar. كريم عامر) (born c. 1984) is an Egyptian blogger and former law student. He was arrested by Egyptian authorities for posts on his [http://karam903.blogspot.com/ blog] that were considered to be anti-religious and insulting to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. On February 22, 2007, in his native city Alexandria, Amer was sentenced to three years of imprisonment for insulting Islam and inciting sedition and one year for insulting the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.cite news |title=Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6385849.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2007-02-22 |accessdate=2007-02-27]

Background

Kareem Amer, an Egyptian Muslim, completed elementary and secondary school at al-Azhar University. He wished to complete a biology degree, but family pressure forced him to enroll in al-Azhar's Department of Shari'a and Legal Studies instead.

In 2004, Kareem began expressing his reformist views at [http://www.rezgar.com/debat/nr.asp Modern Discussion] , as well as [http://copts-united.com/ 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 Copts as well. [Kareem Amer. (2006). [http://karam903.blogspot.com/2006/10/blog-post_26.html “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.]

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 sectarian riots in Alexandria in 2005, the result of a play performed at a Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, [The play itself was performed in 2003, but only became an issue in 2005 when DVDs of the performance began to circulate in Alexandria.] and the violent reaction of the Muslim community over the play's 'insult to Islam'. [Moger, R. and J. Ehab. (2005). [http://www.cairomagazine.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=1521&format=html "All over a play: Sectarian riots leave three dead and more than 100 injured"] . "Cairo Magazine." Retrieved November 15, 2006.]

On October 26, 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. [The Associated Press. (2005). [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1131043721630&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull "Egyptian blogger detained for anti-Islamic posts"] . "The Jerusalem Post". Retrieved November 15, 2006.]

Expulsion from al-Azhar

Early in 2006, Amer was expelled from al-Azhar University, Damanhour Campus, for criticizing some of the university's conservative 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 .

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 November 6, 2006, Amer was again arrested by Egyptian state security officers for posts on his blog that were considered by authorities to be of an irreligious nature, and because of al-Azhar's complaint to the Public Prosecutor Office. [Coincidentally, this was the same day Reporters Without Borders issued a report calling Egypt an 'enemy of the Internet', and listing it as one of the top thirteen countries with the gravest violations of freedom of expression on the Internet.]

The interrogation process involved violations by the Public Prosecutor's Office, according to the human rights lawyer of The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) who represented Kareem Amer before the prosecutor. The observed violations include the illegal attendance of three interrogators, their laughing at Kareem Amer while interrogating him, and their addressing unwarranted questions to him (e.g. "Do you fast during Ramadan?", "Do you practice prayer?").

The Public Prosecutor told Kareem that if he did not abandon his views, even though personal, he may be imprisoned. Nevertheless, Kareem Amer insisted on his right to freedom of expression. Consequently, Egyptian prosecutors ordered that Amer be held in a detention center in Alexandria until November 22 at least. [Press release. (2006). [http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19654 "Officials order blogger 'Kareem Amer' held for another two weeks"] . "Reporters Without Borders". Retrieved November 15, 2006.] His detention was renewed four times before his trial opened in an Alexandria court.

Charges

Specifically, Kareem was charged with:

* 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; and
* Highlighting inappropriate issues that harm the reputation of Egypt and spreading these publicly.

Trial

On January 25, 2007, a hearing took place before a court in Alexandria. Kareem's defence lawyers requested the trial be adjourned so that a computer expert could be called to identify where the Web site [http://www.rezgar.com/debat/nr.asp Modern Discussion] is hosted. It was argued that if the site was not hosted in Egypt, the Egyptian courts may be unable to persecute Kareem for his writings on that site.Fact|date=February 2007

During the hearing, a lawyer in the court room introduced himself as Mohamed Dawoud, and immediately submitted a claim against Kareem for his "incitement to hatred of Islam". The new claim was added as a new case that Kareem will be held accountable for, even if he were to be acquitted from all the current charges made against him.

The trial was adjourned to February 1, 2007.

Prosecution arguments in the February 1, 2007 session were given by a team of Islamist lawyers who volunteered to serve as the 'representatives of the people,' an arrangement allowed under Egyptian law. The government's state prosecutors, who drew up the legal case against Nabil, were not present.

In a heated exchange during the court session, prosecution lawyers accused Kareem of being an 'apostate' and called on judge Ayman al-Akazi to hand Kareem the maximum punishment. As a result, a heated exchange occurred between the prosecution and defence until the judge demanded order. Kareem defended himself by saying:

"I don't see what I have done," he said from the defendant’s cage. "I expressed my opinion...the intention was not anything like these [charges] ."

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 told The Associated Press:

"I want him [Nabil] to get the toughest punishment," Dawoud told . "I am on a jihad here ... If we leave the likes of him without punishment, it will be like a fire that consumes everything."

The trial was adjourned to February 22, 2007 where the judge said Nabil was guilty and would serve three years for insulting Islam and inciting sedition, and one year for insulting Mr Mubarak.

Reaction

United States

United States Congressmen Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Barney Frank (D-MA) wrote to Egyptian Ambassador Nabil Fahmy regarding the arrest and imprisonment of Kareem. Congressman Franks also said:

"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." [cite press release | title = Congressman Franks Concerned by Lack of Freedom of Religion and Speech in Egypt | publisher = United States Congressman Trent Franks | date = 2007-01-24 | accessdate = 2007-02-17 | url = http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/az02_franks/egypt.html ]

Italy

Three Italian MPs have written letters to the Egyptian Ambassador to Italy: Former Minister of Defense Antonio Martino, President of the 10th Permanent Commission (Productive Affairs, Trade and Tourism) Daniele Capezzone, and Senator Gaetano Quagliariello. [cite web | title = Support from Italy | url = http://www.freekareem.org/2007/02/11/support-from-italy/ | work = Free Kareem! | date = 2007-02-11 | accessdate = 2007-02-17 ]

UK

United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Derek Clark made a speech at the EU parliament in Strasbourg on the matter of Abdeel Kareem Nabil and human rights in Egypt. The MEP for the East Midlands region called for the European Union to take advantage of a recently signed trade agreement with Egypt, which states 'Support Egyptian government efforts to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in line with international conventions to which Egypt is party'. [http://ukip.org/ukip_news/gen12.php?t=1&id=2912]

Rallies

* January 12, 2007: The DC Coalition for Blog Freedom organized a rally in front of the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, D.C. to call for Kareem Amer’s release. [cite web | url = http://dcblogfree.blogspot.com/2007/01/solidarity-rally-this-thursday-jan-11.html | title = Solidarity Rally: This Thursday (Jan. 11) at Noon by DuPont Circle | date = 2007-01-09 | accessdate = 2007-02-17 | work = The DC Coalition for Blog Freedom ] A petition was presented to the Embassy, but there appeared to be no plans by the Egyptian government to take any further steps concerning Kareem’s detention. [(2007). [http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=5012 "Protesters rally outside Egypt’s Washington embassy for blogger’s release"] . "Daily Star Egypt". Retrieved January 29, 2007.]

* January 31, 2007: New York City residents have held a peaceful protest in front of the Egyptian Consulate in New York. The aim of the gathering was to protest Egypt’s treatment of Kareem and to plead for all charges against him to be dropped. [Press release. (2007). [http://www.freekareem.org/2007/01/29/press-release-from-new-york/ "Press Release from New York"] . "Free Kareem!". Retrieved January 29, 2007] [cite web | url = http://www.freekareem.org/2007/02/01/report-on-the-rally/ | title = Report on the Rally | work = Free Kareem! | date = 2007-02-01 | accessdate = 2007-02-17 ]

* February 15, 2007: Dubbed "Free Kareem Day", a series of peaceful rallies will be held in front of Egyptian Embassies and Consulates worldwide to protest Kareem’s imprisonment. Protests will be held in Ottawa, London, Berlin, Rome, Bucharest, Paris, Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. A Web site has been set up to provide times and locations for each city. [http://kareemamer.blogspot.com/]

Press

* Jimmy Wales discussed Kareem Amer's case during the WikiMania 2008 conference as reported by the NYTimes blog [http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/wikipedia-goes-to-alexandria-home-of-other-great-reference-works/index.html?ref=technology] .

References

External links

* [http://karam903.blogspot.com/ Amer's blog, كريم عامر-] (in Arabic)
* " [http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/27/opinion/edsage.php Jailed for blogging] ," Dalia Ziada and Jesse Sage, "International Herald Tribune", December 27, 2006
* [http://www.freekareem.org Free Kareem] Campaign to free the Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Soliman
* [http://www.aelme.org/egypt-kareem-amer-abdelkarim-nabil-soliman Kareem Amer Profile] The Alliance for Essential Liberties in the Middle East's profile of Kareem Amer