Ibrahim el-Sahary, detained socialist journalist, called me five minutes ago. He’s free! Cheerful! He said he and a group of the detainees were taken from Tora Prison to State Security Giza premise (Gaber Ibn Hayyan) few hours ago, before they were released, including Wael Khalil, Kamal Khalil, and the rest.
Mabrouk! It’s a great day!
But again, we should NOT forget there are still two Youth for Change activists Mohamed el-Sharqawi and Karim el-Sha3er in Tora Prison, together with at least 700 Muslim Brothers detainees, after their arrest in pro-democracy demos. Their release is a cause leftists, liberals and Islamists have to lobby for.
Actually, its over 1000 MBs still in jail since the beginning of March 2006….
A great day indeed ya Hossam! Thanks so much for great reporting!
[…] Around 300 activists demonstrated Tuesday evening in front of the press syndicate, calling for the release of the pro-democracy detainees. The demonstrators included several of the recently released detainees, who showed up dressed in the white prison costumes they wore in Tora. The scene was beautiful. Released activists who haven’t seen one another since they got out of prison were hugging, and in tears. Others were recalling their prison stories, and exchanging jokes and laughters. Veteran socialist Kamal Khalil, and his colleagues Wael Khalil and Ibrahim el-Sahary got the lionshare of hugs and kisses. They led the demonstrators, in chants against Mubarak, and against State Security police. Central Security Forces surrounded the syndicate. The usual support brigades of baton-wielding plainclothes thugs were also present, together with few officers from State Security’s CounterCommunism’s Bureau. However, no hassels were witnessed, and one could get into the syndicate easily. The one-hour protest was followed by a conference, organized by the Liberties’ Committee. Several released detainees took the poduim, and shared their experiences with their supporters. Kamal Khalil denounced any talks between the opposition and Mubarak’s National Democratic Party, called for the release of Dr. Ayman Nour, Sharqawi, Sha3er, and the 700+ Muslim Brothers detainees. Kamal also condemned the US support for Mubarak and Israel, affirming that the movement for change in Egypt sees their democracy cause to be organically linked to other regional causes, most importantly Palestine and Iraq. Kamal also expressed his sorrow for the loss of his mentors and colleagues, Ahmad Nabil el-Hilaly, Youssef Darwish and Ahmad Rozza, who passed away while he was in prison. “Rest in peace,” he said to his lost comrades. “I want to assure Hilaly the socialist movement has been revived. The Communists in Egypt are only getting stronger day by day. You taught us a lot, and we will not fail you.” I went out later with 3alaa, Manal, and Malek to a friend’s place where we were supposed to party. Unfortunately, after two hours of laughter, we were showered with SMSs about the Israeli invasion of Gaza. We lost the mood for partying, and decided to go home and follow the news. Israeli tanks, as I write now, are rolling into north and south of the strip. Israeli F-16s have bombed two bridges in Gaza’s central zone. Gaza is now in darkness as Israeli jets shelled the only electric power station Gaza has. […]
[…] Amnesty International issued a statement Friday expressing concerns over the govt’s new “anti-terror law” currently in the making. One of Mubarak’s promises during his “electoral campaignâ€� last year was the abolishing of the notorious Emergency Law, with which he ruled Egypt since 1981, and replace it with an “anti-terror law.â€� The Emergency law is regarded as the Grim Reaper in the nation’s political scene. It gives the government abusive powers to lock any suspect for 6 months, break demonstrations, and stiffle political life. Though the government claims it’s only used against “terrorists and drug dealers,” it’s clear who is the law used against: Sharqawi, Sha3er, 3alaa, Ibrahim, Kamal, Wael, and hundreds of other activists from the movement for change, as well as thousands of detainees who are languishing in prisons since 1981, and millions of Egyptians in their daily life encounters with the Egyptian police. Of course, as we know, our president’s promise went with the wind (together with few others) as the NDP-controlled parliament voted last April to extend the law for another two years, fearing a “legal vacuum if the emergency law is abolished nowâ€� as Mubarak put it. Now that the regime’s legal experts are well cooking the new anti-terror law, Amnesty International echoed the fears expressed by Egyptian rights activists and opposition group in a statement and memorandum sent to Mubarak. […]
[…] Some of the released detainees were also present like Wael Khalil, Ibrahim el-Sahary, Malek, Mohamed 3adel, Akram al-Irani. Some of them told me they have to show up for every demo to show State Security that prison has not deter them from activism. “If we disappear, they’ll think what they did to us and Sharqawi worked. I try my best to show up for any event I can.â€� said one. […]
[…] Here’s an English translation: Mohamed Sharqawi is subject to death threats from the police informer who supervises his prison cell at Mahkoum Tora Prison. Sharqawi has been banned from leaving his cell, unlike other prisoners. He was also told by a State Security informer in prison that “we can get rid of you by a dirty needle in the bathroom that will infect you with any lethal disease.â€� Sharqawi is increasingly coming under abusive treatment since the release of Kefaya detainees. He’s been separated from Karim el-Sha3er since they received another renewal for their detention. […]
[…] Karim el-Sha3er has been subject to a knife assault in prison, an activist source said. Sha3er and Sharqawi are the only two remaining Kefaya detainees, after the release of their fellow secular activists. (Hundreds of MB detainees are still in Tora.) […]