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Sunday, 7 May 2006
As you can read here Alaa has been arrested , and the situation is turning bleaker by the minute. Given what the egyptian police is like , and how they wanted to hurt Alaa for quite a while now, I don't think it's wise to wait until they decide what THEY want to do with him. The fight should start immedietly.
The contact information for the Egyptian embassy is below:
The Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Ct. NW
Washington DC 20008
Phone (202) 895 5400
Fax (202) 244 5131
(202) 244 4319
Email: embassy@egyptembdc.org
E-mail them, send them letters, harrass them. The last time you did that we got Abdel Karim released. I am not joking when I tell you that I had information from a source inside that this is the only reason they released him. Too much pressure by the average american and european. The egyptian government is cowardly, they will sucumb to pressure. Tell them that you find his detainment and arrest unacceptable. That you will not set foot in this country, and will tell every friend of yours never to visit Egypt, unless Alaa and the other detainees are released immedietly. That a government that throws people in jail for freedom of speech is not one that will get your money. Tell everyone you know and spread the word. In the words of Tigerhawk: Release the Hounds.
Links to this: InstaPundit , Tigerhawk , Proteinwisdom , Sabbah , Captain's Quarters
May 7th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
I’m on it, beotch. Emails and phone calls will be coming shortly.
May 7th, 2006 at 7:36 pm
You may add Global Voices to the list of links:
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2006/05/07/prominent-egyptian-blogger-arrested-and-several-other-activists/
May 7th, 2006 at 8:08 pm
Done.
May 7th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
OK. Here is a template for what I am going to email. Others can feel free to use it if they like or modify it as they feel appropriate. The important thing is to get as many people sending something in as possible:
Dear such-and-such,
I am writing you concerning what I consider to be a serious infraction against the human and civil rights of one your countrymen.
A citizen of your country, Alaa Abd El-Fatah, was arrested at a demonstration in Cairo on May 7th, 2006. He was demonstrating peacefully along with other activitsts against attempts to reduce the independence of the judiciary in Egypt. As an American, living in a country that places a high premium on freedoms of speech and assembly, I find his detention to be outrageous and unacceptable.
I want to make it absolutely clear to your country that I intend to follow up on this matter by contacting the White House and my representatives in Congress to support suspension of the approximately $2 billion in annual aid the United States currently provides Egypt. Also, I will not be visiting, and I will discourage others from visiting, Egypt as a tourist until this matter is resolved.
I would like to see this matter resolved as quickly as possible and without developing into a possible diplomatic incident. I hope you will seriously reconsider your actions in detaining this man and others like him. Alaa Abd El-Fatah was exercising rights that Americans insist are innate, God-given, and not subject to interference or suppression by human governments.
Sincerely,
blah-blah-blah
May 7th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
This is BS. They need to be released immediately.
May 7th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
That’s great Tommy.
May 7th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
Done.
I will ask my parents in Germany to contact the Egyptian embassy in Germany tomorrow.
May 7th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
Asalamu’alaikum Sandmonkey,
I’ve sent a letter plea…
Rick
May 7th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
Ooh, good letter, Tommy!! I will incorporate some of those ideas into mine, which will be going to the Egyptian embassy in Canada, CC’d to the politicians in Ottawa, as well.
May 7th, 2006 at 10:05 pm
You’ll have my support blogged once my host restores my blog.
May 7th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
Done as well!!
//Vic
South San Francisco
May 7th, 2006 at 10:49 pm
Excellent template Tommy, hope these letters will work.
May 7th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
One of your officals remarks: “You bitches. You sons of bitches.” Sounds like an agreeable guy, right?
Papa Ray
West Texas
USA
May 8th, 2006 at 12:05 am
Some further information for United States citizens:
White House contact information:
Address:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone number for comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard number: 202-45-1414
White House email: comments@whitehouse.gov
Dick Cheney’s White House email: vice_president@whitehouse.gov
State Department contact information:
Address:
US Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000
URL to send email:
http://contact-us.state.gov/cgi-bin/state.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php?p_sid=We6SaX6i&p_lva=&p_sp=&p_li=
Site with information on contacting your congressional representatives (in the US):
http://www.ams.org/government/howto.html
May 8th, 2006 at 12:35 am
Here’s a rather small list of Egyptian embassies and consulates in various countries.
http://www.bibalex.org/wsisalex/embassies.htm
May 8th, 2006 at 12:38 am
Here’s a better one.
http://www.mypage.bluewin.ch/caccia/aegypten.html#english
May 8th, 2006 at 12:39 am
Oops. Sorry, that last one was foreign embassies in Egypt.
May 8th, 2006 at 12:51 am
Done.
May 8th, 2006 at 1:01 am
This was my email to the embassy:
”
This is to register my out most dismay of the Egyptian government’s actions of arresting and beating peaceful protesters.
I want to draw your attention that protesters were dealt with in an inhumane way and some were reported to be tortured. This is a serious crime against humanity that will not be tolerated.
I am currently following up on the possibility of pursuing charges in US and EU courts against your government officials including your president for their human rights violations.
You are hereby notified.”
May 8th, 2006 at 1:13 am
Doing my best to spread the word and get the e-mails rolling.
May 8th, 2006 at 2:43 am
Who the Hell cares? All of the people involved are Muslims. That is, they are lying, depraved, savages who nurse an unending hatred for the infidel. The world just gets a little bit better every time a Muslim dies.
To Hell with these people. It is long past time to rise up and defend Western civilization against the depredations of these savage barbarians. If you have not already heard them, it won’t be long before the savage cries of Allahu akbar echo through your neighborhood.
It is them or us. It is time to face reality and to choose sides.
May 8th, 2006 at 2:50 am
Sorry Realist to disappoint you but one of the arrested is Christian and his name is Fady Eskandar. People like you make this world sucks.
May 8th, 2006 at 2:56 am
To Hell with these people. It is long past time to rise up and defend Western civilization against the depredations of these savage barbarians.
Realist, try being a pragmatist for a change. The fact is that these people who were arrested are trying to introduce some of the classical values of Western civilization into their own countries; namely, democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
Instead of saying “who cares”, who about giving them some support.
This is what I love about the internet. It gives people from different societies a chance to interface with one another on a level that bypasses governments. It gives us in the West an opportunity we’ve never had before to support democratic (and anti-extremist) activists rather than having to rely on our self-serving government to do so.
May 8th, 2006 at 3:26 am
Oh!…it…is…on. I and my friends are all over this!
Tim
May 8th, 2006 at 3:26 am
Canadians who happen to be reading this, please contact the Egyptian embassy in Ottawa and give them a piece of your mind.
Here is the contact info:
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
454 Laurier Ave. East
Ottawa, ON K1N 6R3
Tel (613) 234-4931
Fax (613) 234-9347
http://www.egyptembasssy.ca
egyptemb@sympatico.ca
May 8th, 2006 at 3:30 am
tommy, your comments about the potential of the internet are right on. You should read what I said along the same lines here.
May 8th, 2006 at 3:42 am
Can we actually pursue charges in Canadian or American courts against Egyptian government officials?
May 8th, 2006 at 3:55 am
Louise,
I read your article. Yes, I completely agree with you.
People always talk about how efforts to support or promote democratic change in the Mideast have failed. I have to honestly ask how much support they have ever really been given in the first place. The United States has backed and propped up autocrats in the region for its own security and economic interests for decades. The military strongmen in the local neighborhood suck and the Islamists are seen as the only prominent alternative. The internet gives us the first chance to really support democratic activists halfway around the world in a grassroots manner. Hopefully, over time, they will grow in number and power and we should do everything we can to support them in their effort.
May 8th, 2006 at 4:08 am
Done!
May 8th, 2006 at 4:17 am
The hounds of FR are on their way….If anyone can do an impression of the riders of Rohan, these lads will….
May 8th, 2006 at 4:45 am
I don’t know if a letter from an Israeli citizen will help or make it worst, but I send you here my sympathy and support.
God luck with your struggle.
.
May 8th, 2006 at 4:48 am
Good luck to all.
Never give up the fight!
May 8th, 2006 at 4:49 am
Yeah, Hanan. Anything helps.
You can even send an email to the US or Canadian Egyptian embassies if you wish. It cannot hurt.
May 8th, 2006 at 5:13 am
I have emailed to the Egyptian Embassy and US embassy in Cairo my concerns and posted on it. Instapundit has it as well. We will see if anyone else will follow this. I am scanning the internet popular sites for action.
May 8th, 2006 at 5:13 am
“The world just gets a little bit better every time a Muslim dies.”
Thanks Realist, you’re so encouraging and understanding. I guess this means that I, in return, should only care about Muslims and not give a shit when a Christian, Jew or any other human being faces injustice or dies at the hands of extremists. Alright, you just made things easier for me. What a relief! All is clear to me now.
(Fucker).
And for the rest of you; it’s so encouraging to see people from around the world that bother to give a few minutes of their time to show they care. The rest of you aren’t fuckers, you’re great.
May 8th, 2006 at 5:17 am
PS…I have chosen sides. I am on the side of democratic movements wherever they are and whatever nationality. Free press, free speech, free judiciary are the bedrocks of democracy whether it is in the US, France, Egypt or Indonesia.
I care not for a man’s religion as long as he or she promotes democracy and lives by the precepts that protect individual rights, demands freedom of movement, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, free judiciary, equality in government and before the law.
Let it be known that we will not pretend that we do not know nor will we let our government blithely go on supporting regimes that do not adhere to these principles.
I have chosen sides.
May 8th, 2006 at 5:43 am
Some blogs that have reported on the story:
Pajamas Media
Gateway Pundit
The Jawa Report
Tigerhawk
Instapundit
Protein Wisdom
Aaron’s cc is promising to bring it up, once Aaron recovers from the latest cyberjihad assault.
The Rants and Rambles of Hal
Freedom for Egyptians
Big Pharaoh
Reporters without Borders has promised to bring it up according to FFE
I don’t have access to LGF unfortunately (you can’t use a free email service to register with Little Green Footballs). If someone else does and could possibly raise the issue on an appropriate (or not so appropriate) thread that would be great. I did try and shoot an email their way about the situation. I would love to see them get involved. I also shot one to Michelle Malkin. Who knows if any of these emails will do any good, though. We will see. The fact that Pajamas Media is picking up on it is a positive sign and means we may see other conservative bloggers associated with the ‘PJ Mob’ pick up the story within the next day or so.
I may try and send some emails to other sites that might be willing to put something up about the issue tomorrow.
May 8th, 2006 at 6:50 am
“It’s War”!!! Really, and you just figured this out now?
The was has been going on for decades and obviously whatever we’re doing to fight back is not good enough. Someone is going to have to come up with a better and more effective ideas, otherwise we’re screwed!
May 8th, 2006 at 7:15 am
This is the picture of the general who led the arrest of Alaa and other protestors telling them:
“You bitches. You sons of bitches. This is how it is going to be from now on if you do not behave and know your limits. If you do not behave you’ll have the bottom of my old shoes all over you”
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5038/2667/1600/General%20Saaid%20Zenhom.jpg
May 8th, 2006 at 8:22 am
Tommy,
thanks for the template. Sent. Forwarded to my friends who promise to join in also.
This is a disgrace!
May 8th, 2006 at 9:18 am
iam from jordan but can i sent them or it must me an egyption?
i would like to help
May 8th, 2006 at 11:14 am
I don’t know if anyone who posts here is a reader of the blog http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com, because you can’t post on that site unless you are a registered user. However, if you are, please get that site involved in this.
“Realist”, I a Jew and live in North America. The way I see it, people like this blogger and the SM are the best hope that we in the West have that maybe, someday, the authoritarians and Jihadists will someday be subdued. They need to be supported in general, and in this particular case, they need to be freed.
May 8th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
wedad,
Feel free to contact your local Egyptian embassy and let them know how you feel. You can even contact the Egyptian embassy in the United States instead if you like. Anything helps.
May 8th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
Arrested Blogger Needs Help!
Urgent action from readers and fellow bloggers is needed to help an Egyptian blogger that has been arrested in Egypt.
May 8th, 2006 at 3:32 pm
I looked it up right quick. The names to put on emails to the embassies between America and Egypt are:
Dear Ambassador Nabil Fahmy
Dear Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer
May 8th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
Wow, I’m dumb. The _current_ American ambassador to Egypt is:
Dear Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone Jr.
May 8th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
[...] Other Egyptian bloggers are asking for help: [...]
May 8th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Just sent this e-mail to the Egyptian Embassy:
I am writing as an American citizen asking that you release your citizen whose only crime was expressing his views. I am currently considering a business investment in Egypt but must tell you that I will not proceed, nor will I buy Egyptian goods, until this release occurs - until then I will not be convinced that you understand that your good relations with the United States depend on you adhering to basic standards of human rights. You cannot imprison people for offending you unless you are simultaneously willing to lose business from a country whose FIRST amendment to its Constitution protects the right of free speech.
Thank you for your consideration,
KEEP UP THE FIGHT -
May 9th, 2006 at 8:06 am
Hi, I am a student from Germany and read about the arrestation of Alaa and the other activists on a german blogg. I’d like to help by writing to the egyptian embassy, as well as to politicians and maybe also the embassy of the us and the german embassy in egypt. Also, as a catholic, i will pray for them.
Is there a full list with the names of all who got arrested?
I hope they’ll be free soon. Your fight is so important, i hope there will be lots of people supporting you.
Love, abitibi
May 9th, 2006 at 4:56 pm
I don’t think there is a full list.
This article mentions the number detained:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060508/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_arrests;_ylt=Am0Sury7yRJbdjiOgUoXzmQLewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA–
May 9th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
> until then I will not be convinced that you understand
> that your good relations with the United States depend
> on you adhering to basic standards of human rights.
How pathetic and foolish to send it to egypts embassy.
Send it to your neoconazi government, they are the ones
that pull the strings.
May 15th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
[...] Other Egyptian bloggers are asking for help: [...]
September 14th, 2006 at 6:52 am
[...] سقراط كتبت تدوينه تقطع القلب عن علاء.. و قرد الرمال قالب الدنيا وعامل حملات صليبية.. انا معجب جدآ باللي بيعمله, انا من زمان من أنصار نظرية ان %99 من أوراق اللعبه في ايد أمريكا.. وان كفايه و مش عارف مين من أجل التغيير و الكلام ده كله مكانش هيقدر يتحرك غير بضغط من أمريكا علي الحكومه, و الحكومه مش هتقدر تقمعهم في المظاهرات أو تحطهم في السجن غير بضوء أخضر من أمريكا.. من زمان كنت بقول الكلام ده, و باسمعه بيتردد دلوقتي و ديه حاجه كويسه بالنسبه لثقتي في نفسي.. المهم ده برضه بيعنى إن لو في أمل في تحرك للإفراج عن الناس دي فهيكون أحسن في الجبهة الخارجيه, تصعيد ضغوط أمريكيه أو غربيه عمومآ على الحكومه المصريه ممكن يحسن كتير في فرصة الإفراج عنهم بسرعة, أو الإفراج عنهم أصلا.. قرد الرمال بما إنه من اكتر المدونين المصريين شهرة في امريكا, إتحرك بسرعه و فاعليه.. لافتات, عرائض, رسائل للسفير المصري و ممثلي الكونجرس, مطالبات بقطع المعونة, و حتي مظاهرات و وقفات إحتجاجية.. مدونه كاملة لمتابعة الموقف (هيه صحيح علي بلوج سبوت.. و متخيل علاء بيشخر في سجنه لما يعرف).. يعني موضوع الرسائل و العرائض ده طبعآ للأجانب أكتر, لكن في حاجات تاني ممكن نعملها.. مدونين كتير عرب و أجانب بدأوا يتفاعلوا.. و الأفكار النميسه بدأت تطلع, دي بالذات سهله قوي و ممكن كلنا نعملها: تلغيم جووجل علشان علاء .حتي مواقع التكنولوجيا بره إتحط فيها أخبار عن علاء, ديج و سلاش دوت, ولو تعرفوا معنى سلاش دوت.. كمان الملفت للنظر في موضوع مخاطبة الجبهة الغربية ده, ان منال مكتبتش ولا تدوينة واحدة بالعربي لغاية دلوقتي, و كل اللي كتبتة كان بالإنجليزي و موجه للأجانب بشكل واضح, حتى إبليس بيطلب المدد [...]
September 25th, 2006 at 6:47 am
Alaa detained for 15 days “pending investigation”
Update 1: I’ll be on BBC Radio “World Have Your Say” tonight to talk about Alaa’a arrest.
Update 2: Kevin from BBC’s “World Have Your Say” writes in BBC blogs:
I contacted the Egyptian Embassy here in London to…
October 26th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
[...] سقراط كتبت تدوينه تقطع القلب عن علاء.. و قرد الرمال قالب الدنيا وعامل حملات صليبية.. انا معجب جدآ باللي بيعمله, انا من زمان من أنصار نظرية ان %99 من أوراق اللعبه في ايد أمريكا.. وان كفايه و مش عارف مين من أجل التغيير و الكلام ده كله مكانش هيقدر يتحرك غير بضغط من أمريكا علي الحكومه, و الحكومه مش هتقدر تقمعهم في المظاهرات أو تحطهم في السجن غير بضوء أخضر من أمريكا.. من زمان كنت بقول الكلام ده, و باسمعه بيتردد دلوقتي و ديه حاجه كويسه بالنسبه لثقتي في نفسي.. المهم ده برضه بيعنى إن لو في أمل في تحرك للإفراج عن الناس دي فهيكون أحسن في الجبهة الخارجيه, تصعيد ضغوط أمريكيه أو غربيه عمومآ على الحكومه المصريه ممكن يحسن كتير في فرصة الإفراج عنهم بسرعة, أو الإفراج عنهم أصلا.. قرد الرمال بما إنه من اكتر المدونين المصريين شهرة في امريكا, إتحرك بسرعه و فاعليه.. لافتات, عرائض, رسائل للسفير المصري و ممثلي الكونجرس, مطالبات بقطع المعونة, و حتي مظاهرات و وقفات إحتجاجية.. مدونه كاملة لمتابعة الموقف (هيه صحيح علي بلوج سبوت.. و متخيل علاء بيشخر في سجنه لما يعرف).. يعني موضوع الرسائل و العرائض ده طبعآ للأجانب أكتر, لكن في حاجات تاني ممكن نعملها.. مدونين كتير عرب و أجانب بدأوا يتفاعلوا.. و الأفكار النميسه بدأت تطلع, دي بالذات سهله قوي و ممكن كلنا نعملها: تلغيم جووجل علشان علاء .حتي مواقع التكنولوجيا بره إتحط فيها أخبار عن علاء, ديج و سلاش دوت, ولو تعرفوا معنى سلاش دوت.. كمان الملفت للنظر في موضوع مخاطبة الجبهة الغربية ده, ان منال مكتبتش ولا تدوينة واحدة بالعربي لغاية دلوقتي, و كل اللي كتبتة كان بالإنجليزي و موجه للأجانب بشكل واضح, حتى إبليس بيطلب المدد [...]
November 21st, 2006 at 11:15 am
Egyptian Persecution of Bloggers Must Be Uncompromisingly Fought - What Happens Right After That, However, Is Not So Simple
Instapundit has posted on a BBC story about the Egyptian government’s persecution of bloggers that as near as we can tell got its start yesterday evening on Slashdot: Police in Cairo have detained a blogger whose posts have been critical…
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:06 am
done - great idea!
May 19th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
[...] Sandmonkey’s post, complete and [...]