by Sarika Arya
Wael Abbas has received awards from CNN, the BBC, and Human Rights Watch for his uncensored, honest, and humanitarian blogging, which speaks the truth about human rights atrocities committed by the Egyptian government. His posts dwell deep into Egypt's human rights abyss: exposing the most cruel and inhumane aspects of Egyptian society that are usually ignored by the oridnary people and government alike. But bloggers beware. When he posted a video of an Egyptian bus driver being sodomized with a stick by Egyptian police, Wael temporarily had his Youtube and Yahoo account suspended. His Facebook has been deactivated. His strong opinions (on his blog, he compares President Obama's tactics to reach out to the Muslim world, with the Muslim brotherhood) attract international readers and have the capacity to upset (and inspire) a nation not accustomed to practicing its right to freedom of expression. The YJHR intended to have an interview with Wael Abbas, the notorious Egyptian blogger, today (Thursday), after he returned from a workshop in Sweden. But yesterday our boss at the National Council for Human Rights in Egypt (and a friend of Wael's) notified us via Facebook chat of some disturbing news that may prevent us from securing the interview. So, for now, we are only almost in conversation with Wael Abbas.
1:58pm Fatima*:
Sarika!
1:58pm Sarika:
Yes!
1:59pm Fatima:
The blogger I told you about
Is held in cairo airport
!!!
1:59pm Sarika:
He was arrested???!!
1:59pm Fatima:
yes
1:59pm Sarika:
WHAT
why? will he be released??
what can we do?
1:59pm Fatima:
and they have his labtop
2:00pm Sarika:
oh my goodness!!! That's crazy how did you find out
2:00pm Fatima:
2:02pm Fatima:
www.twitter.com/waelabbas
2:02pm Sarika:
wait so what happens now? has he been arrested before?
2:04pm Fatima:
check the link
2:05pm Sarika:
this is uneblieavble!
2:06pm Fatima:
welcome to the reality
2:06pm Sarika:
why was he arrested?????
2:07pm Fatima:
am not sure
but they are just Harrasing him I guess
but takin his labtop is serious
2:08pm Sarika:
so this is what happens when there is no freedom of expression?
2:12pm Fatima:
yes this is the reality we are living in,
2:14pm Sarika:
!!
how can they arrest someone so famous
he is going to be released. he has to be – it would hurt the government so much
Wael's Blog (الوعى المصرى = Egyptian awareness)
*This name has been changed for privacy reasons.
