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.
Maybe someone can write about it.
This is one of the people that are fighting to make the dream of freedom come true in the Middle East. Please don't let him and his allies down.
BTTT
Can we Freep the Egyptian embassy?
Middle East ping needed.
And, I agree. We should stand behind pro-democracy activists solidly. I'll call the Egyptian consulate tomorrow.
u have freepmail
Sandmonkey has posted this too...
http://www.sandmonkey.org/2006/05/07/release-the-hounds/
I enjoy his blog a lot. I've just emailed the Egyptian Embassy.
yeah.....that'll work
pfftt
ping...
I'm glad they won't give up as easily as you.
The Egyptians are very sensitive to their image in the US and Europe because they have little in the way of petroleum resources and rely on tourism for a lot their economic needs.
For those that missed it:
Contact information for the Egyptian embassy:
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
bttt
Yeah....that's a great plan. Are you channeling Sgt Schultz there?
ping
No, but anybody can pray, so that's what I will do.
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