More bad developments for bloggers in Egypt

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) reports:

The Egyptian security apparatus is conducting an aggressive campaign against bloggers and Internet activists in many cities around Cairo . . .

Christian blogger Hani Nazeer Aziz, who is based in Gena and owns the blog Kariz Al Hub, has been targeted. They are also persecuting several Islamic bloggers, including Mohamed Khairi, who is based in Fayoum, Husam Yahia, whose blog is called The Voice of Liberty, Mohamed Adil, whose blog is "dead", and Bilal Alaa, whose blog is called The Country is Ours. Both Mohamed Adil and Bilal Alaa are from Al Gharbia City and Husam Yahia is from Al-Daghlia. . . .

Gamal Eid, ANHRI's executive director, issued the following statement:

"It is no coincidence that the launch of a state security campaign against Egyptian bloggers happened at the same time as one of their colleagues was honoured by receiving an international award for human rights activism. The Egyptian government will never forgive bloggers for their key and consistent role in exposing numerous legal and human rights violations. As well as a reaction to their role in advocating for democracy in Egypt, the crackdown is also a response to the message of the Human Rights First award, which supports and encourages the efforts of Egyptian bloggers." . . .

The . . . . Islamic [bloggers], were arrested and their houses were raided as a punishment for their contribution to the people's relief caravan that headed towards Gaza on 6 October to break the blockade imposed by occupying Israeli forces. This was a purely humanitarian gesture to show solidarity with the Palestinian state, which lies under the burden of occupation, a situation to which the Egyptian government at best turns a blind eye, and at worst is complicit.

ANHRI asserts that these bloggers have not committed any crime or broken any law. Any slight respect for the values of law and democracy should lead to legal and appropriate solutions for these problematic scenarios. Emergency law will never manage to deter Egyptian activists from forming and broadcasting their opinions.

Without endorsing ANHRI's politics on the Mideast, the MBA naturally expresses its concern over the repression of bloggers' free speech rights, in Egypt or anywhere.