Stories about Egypt from March, 2008
Egypt: Human Rights Defenders Harassed
Or Does it Explode… links to a report submitted by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies to the United Nations Human Rights Council which says there has been “huge harassments of human rights organisations and defenders have been increasingly subject to abusive and suppressive actions by government actors… in...
Egypt: General Strike on April 6
Activists are calling for a general strike in Egypt in April 6, to protest against the rising costs of living. This blog (Ar) posts a series of banners to announce the strike.
Egypt: American Navy's Friendly Fire
Egyptian bloggers lament to the loss of one of their countrymen who was killed in an incident involving the American Navy in the Suez Canal. They are also wondering where their sovereignty as a state has gone and whether the slain man's family will ever see justice.
Egypt: Flood Jail with Mail Campaign Picks Momentum
Calls continue in support of a two week campaign to flood an Egyptian jail with mail in solidarity with jailed Egyptian blogger Kareem Nabeel Sulaiman, writes Free Kareem.
Egypt: University Faculty Staff Strike
“For the first time ever in Egyptian history, most Egyptian university faculty members went on strike as a first step towards forcing the government to improve their living conditions and the conditions of higher education in the country,” writes Eman from Egypt.
Egypt: University Strike Update
Zeinobia from Egypt updates us about the university professors strike.
Egypt: Call for General Strike
“A coalition of opposition groups—including the suspended Labor Party, Kifaya, the banned Muslim Brotherhood, the unlicensed Karama (Dignity) Party, the unlicensed Centrist Party, the workers of Mahalla, the Lawyers’ Syndicate, the Movement of University Professors, and others—is calling for a general strike on April 6, two days before the local...
Egypt: Journalist Sentenced for Six Months
“Ibrahim Eissa received a prison sentence of six months for having spread false information about President Mubarak´s health in August 2007. The sentence was given by Judge Sherif Kamel Mustapha at Bulaq Court of misdeamenours this morning. He was found guilty of having harmed Egypt´s economy,” announced Ibn Al Dunya...
Arabeyes: Bloggers Indifferent to Magdi Allam's Conversion to Catholicism
During Easter weekend, Pope Benedict XVI baptized several adults into Catholicism. Among them was Magdi Allam, an Egyptian-born Muslim who has lived in Italy for more than half his life and is known as a critic of Islamic extremism.
March Madness in Kuwait
Just as there is March Madness in the US, the phenomena seems to have spread to Kuwait - not for basketball but elections. Abdullatif Al Omar brings us the Kuwaiti bloggers reactions to the resignation of their government, the dissolving of Parliament and the looming elections in June.
Egypt: A Lebanese in Egypt – From Occupation to Liberation
One day, she felt humiliated, and the next, liberated. This is the story of Layal El Katib, a Lebanese Blogger who lived in Egypt for a while, brought to us by Tarek Amr.
Egypt: Flood the Jail with Letters
“In conjunction with FreeKareem.org, the Committee to Protect Bloggers is launching a mail campaign in support of imprisoned Egyptian blogger, Kareem Amer,” announced the Committee to Protect Bloggers. The campaign, from April 7 to 21, encourages people from around the world to send Kareem postcards and letters. Since being sentenced...
Iraq at Five: The World Reacts
Today, March 19, marks five years of "Operation Iraqi Freedom." Initially a plan to oust Saddam Hussein and "end the war before it started," the war in Iraq continues to this day, much to the dismay of many ordinary citizens around the globe. In that vein, Global Voices Online will post reactions today from bloggers in Iraq, the Middle East and North Africa, and elsewhere.
Egypt: Face of the Future
“If you want to know the future of humanity, don’t look someplace new. Look someplace old: someplace where dynasties and empires have risen and fallen for thousands of years, someplace where scant land has sustained swelling populations for millennia. Look to Egypt. Look to Iraq,” writes Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt.
Egypt: Stop Drug Abuse Campaign Launched
"Stop Drugs.. Change your life" was the motto for a new controversial campaign initiated by Amr Khaled in Egypt and other different Arab countries, writes Eman AbdElRahman, who brings us the reactions of a former addict, who has been off heroin for a year.
Egypt: Notorious Fatwas
Zeinobiya from Egypt lists a few fatwas (religious) edicts by a clergyman, whom she describes as “looking for fame.”
Egypt: Rahho R.I.P.
“The Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, Paulos Faraj Rahho was found dead in Mosul on Thursday. He was abducted on the 29 of February 2008, when his car was attacked and two body guards and his driver was killed,” reports Ibn Al Dunya, from Egypt.
Egypt: First Woman Islamic Marriage ‘Registrar’
“The best piece of news I heard on coming back to Egypt is that the first ever female “Ma’zoun” (the person who carries out the marriage ceremony in Islam) in Egypt and the Muslim world has been appointed by the family court of Al Sharqiyah governorate,” writes Eman, from Egypt.
Egypt: Kefaya Song
Ahmad Sherif, from Egypt, posts an Arabic song, protesting Mubarak's rule.
Egypt: Looming Bread Crisis
The Arabist, from Egypt, posts links to coverage on Egypt's looming bread crisis.
Egypt: Another strike and many protests
Egyptian doctors and university faculty have joined the crowds and decided to protest against their low salaries, writes Eman AbdElRahman, who brings us the latest reactions to labour strikes from the Egyptian blogosphere.
