On 8 November 2006, the Public Prosecutor's Office in Alexandria extended the detention of Egyptian blogger Abdel Karim Suliman Amer, also known as Kareem Amer, for an additional 15 days. This follows an original 7 November decision to hold him for four days pending investigation. HRinfo considers his detention to be a violation of his right to hold and express opinions without interference, stipulated in the Egyptian Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Egypt is a party.

"The arbitrary accusations against Kareem Amer indicate the authorities' inclination to detain him simply for expressing views contradictory to theirs. The Public Prosecutor told Kareem that if he did not abandon his views, even though personal, he may be imprisoned," the undersigned human rights organizations stated.

The case of Kareem Amer is testing the extent of respect granted by the Egyptian government to the right to freedom of expression, the Egyptian Constitution, and other international covenants which enshrine that right.

Kareem Amer deserves encouragement and support for risking his freedom for the sake of upholding his right to believe in secularism. His insistence on his right to freedom of expression had previously resulted in his expulsion from Al-Azhar University. The rights to freedom of thought and to freedom of expression are basic human rights that should not be undermined. Article 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, states:

Article 18: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change religion or belief, the freedom to manifest religion or belief in worship, observance, practice, and teaching either alone or in community with others and in public or private."

Article 19: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

Security forces illegally arrested Kareem Amer in October 2005 for 12 days on account of his online writings about the sectarian strife that took place in Alexandria that year. After his release, in March 2006 Al-Azhar University, in which he was a registered student, dismissed him because of his secular ideas. Afterwards, the university filed a communiqué to the Public Prosecutor Office against Kareem Amer. During prosecutorial interrogations, Kareem Amer insisted on his right to freedom of expression. Consequently, the prosecutor decided to keep him in custody for a renewable period of four days pending investigation.

The interrogation process involved violations by the Public Prosecutor's Office, according to the human rights lawyer of HRinfo who represented Kareem Amer before the prosecutor. The observed violations include the illegal attendance of three interrogators, their laughing at Kareem Amer while interrogating him, and their addressing unwarranted questions to him (e.g. "Do you fast during Ramadan?", "Do you practice prayer?").

"It is regrettable and shameful for a university to punish one of its students for practicing his basic right to freedom of expression. The university did not only dismiss him, but also did not hesitate to take up the role of informer by filing a communiqué against him to the Public Prosecutor's Office. Kareem Amer has been targeted because he expressed his own views," said HRinfo's executive director; Gamal Eid. "Al-Azhar University is therefore presenting a bad model for any university. Freedom of speech is to be defended by all, even when one does not agree with the ideas expressed".

It is noteworthy that the claim filed against Kareem Amer includes accusations which are considered to be in violation of the right to freedom of expression.

Kareem Amer is charged with:

- Spreading information and malicious rumours that disrupt public security

- Defaming the president of Egypt

- Incitement to overthrow the regime based upon hatred and contempt

- Incitement to hate "Islam" and to breach public peace standards

- Highlighting inappropriate issues that harm the reputation of Egypt and spreading these publicly

Furthermore, the fact that investigators of the Public Prosecutor's Office put aside their neutrality and allowed their own personal biases to emerge during an official investigation in a case of conscience is a serious threat not only to the future of a 22-year-old young man, but also to freedom of expression in Egypt. "Kareem Amer was courageous when he defended his right to freedom of expression despite his knowledge that he may be imprisoned for this. Defenders of freedom of expression and human rights in Egypt and worldwide are called upon to stand in solidarity and defend Kareem Amer", Eid added.

The undersigned human rights organizations call upon the Egyptian government to immediately release Kareem Amer, protect him against more harassment, and guarantee his right to freedom of expression.

Signatory Organizations:

From Egypt:

1. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information

2. The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement

3. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

4. Association for Human Rights Legal Aid

5. Habi Center for Environmental Rights

6. Al-Nadeem Center for Psychological Rehabilitation and Treatment of Victims of Violence

7. Hisham Mubark Law Center

8. Land Center for Human Rights

9. Shomuu Assocaition for Human Rights and People with Disabilities

10. Egyptian Center for Human Rights

11. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

12. The Civil Observatory of Human Rights

13. Al-Ganob Center for Human Rights

From Bahrain:

14. Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights

MORE INFORMATION:

For further information contact Gamal Eid, Executive Director, HRinfo, Apartment 10, No. 5, Street 105, from Midan al Hurriya, al Maadi, Cairo, Egypt, tel/fax: +202 524 9544, e-mail: info@hrinfo.net, gamal4eid@yahoo.com, Internet: http://www.hrinfo.net/en