« |
»
Bloggers detained in Egypt
munaeem | 26 March, 2007 13:00
via The Arabist : Protesters, Journalists Assaulted on Eve of Referendum
Proposed constitutional amendments approved by the Egyptian parliament on March 21 effectively remove basic protections against violations of Egyptians’ rights to privacy, individual freedom, security of person and home and due process, Human Rights Watch said today.
Last night, security forces arrested at least 13 activists on their way to a protest against the proposed amendments. Eyewitnesses and victims told Human Rights Watch that plainclothes officers supported by riot police surrounded two groups of activists and bloggers in downtown Cairo at around 7 p.m.
The plainclothes officers kicked and punched activists, assaulted a number of female protesters, and confiscated memory cards from three foreign photojournalists’ digital cameras.
Two of the 13 were subsequently released, but the authorities have not provided any information on where the remaining activists are being detained.
Activists were protesting proposed changes to article 179 of the constitution that would have the effect of removing constitutional safeguards requiring the government to obtain judicial warrants before searching a citizen’s home, correspondence, telephone calls, and other communications, when the government deems activity being investigated is terrorist-related. In such cases the president would also be allowed to send cases to special “exceptional” courts or military tribunals, whose decisions may not be appealed, instead of the regular courts, thereby jeopardizing individuals’ fair trial rights. The amendments would also mean security forces would be authorized to exercise powers of arrest that could lead to arbitrary, and potentially indefinite, detentions.
According to lawyers from the Hisham Mubarak Center, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, and the Nadim Center for Victims of Violence, among those detained on March 25 in Cairo were:
1. Omar al-Hadi (blogger)
2. Muhammad Gamal (blogger)
3. Ahmad Drubi (environmental consultant)
4. Malik Mustafa (released hours later)
5. Karim al-Sha`ir (blogger)
6. Omar Mustafa (blogger)
7. Muhammad `Abd al-Qadir (communications employee)
8. Midhat Shakir (released hours later)
9. Adham al-Safati (film director)
10. Muhammad Rashid
11. Khalid Mustafa
12. Ahmad Samir (student)
13. Mohsin Hashim (political activist)
14. Jano Charbel (Lebanese journalist, briefly detained)
The Arabist has more..
Comments
