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| Africa North |
| Egyptian blogger on trial for insulting Islam |
| 2007-01-18 |
| An Egyptian blogger went on trial today on charges of insulting Islam and inciting sectarian strife for his Internet writing criticising Muslim authorities and the Egyptian government, his lawyer and court officials said. It was the first trial of a blogger in Egypt, where a string of anti-government bloggers have been arrested the past year, drawing condemnation from human rights groups. Abdel Kareem Nabil, who has been in detention since his arrest in early November, could face up to seven years in prison if convicted on the charges, court officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of court rules. His lawyer, Radwa Sayed Ahmed, said Nabil had been held in solitary confinement, forbidden visits from his family and lawyers. In today’s brief court session, “he didn’t look good,” she said from court in the port city of Alexandria. Nabil was charged with inciting sedition, insulting Islam, harming national unity and insulting the president, the court official said. His defence asked for time to review the indictment against him and the trial was adjourned until January 25. Nabil, who uses the name Kareem Amer on his blog, frequently denounces the government of President Hosni Mubarak on his blog and is often deeply critical of Egypt’s Islamic authorities, particularly Al-Azhar, one of the Sunni Muslim world’s top religious institutions. Nabil, a resident of Alexandria, was former a law student at Al-Azhar University. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #1 Free Kareem. |
| Posted by: newc 2007-01-18 12:24 |