Officer "X"........................The Torturer

.
.


This is the picture of Officer "X", his name is not revealed for a reason or another although he is the 2nd player in the same torture video tape that features Officer Mostafa Shehata. Although officer "X" did not hit or hurt the suspect physically, but he should be brought to justice for many crimes. He is seen on the video participating and encouraging an act of aggression – torture – against a suspected Egyptian citizen, and this is a crime. Also he can be seen doing indecent moves by his hand in the face of the suspect which is another crime. The 3rd crime should be that he witnessed this torture party and did not officially inform his superiors, unless he did although it does not seem so from the reaction of the Police Chiefs.

Now the question is why this Officers name is not revealed till now? Why he is not charged and brought to justice for all these crimes? Why nobody is talking about him or what he committed, as if it is all normal? And why all the talks is about only one officer in this torture party which is Mostafa Shehata?

Lots of questions, but as usual with no answers. I would just ask you all to try and spread the pic of the criminal and try hard to attach a name to it. Let's all remember, he also need to be brought to justice, let's not be lean on this.

Officer Mostafa Shehata........The Torturer

.
.

This is the picture of the police officer Mostafa Shehata while torturing an unknown suspect in the Al Haram "Pyramid" police station. Thanks to the widely published video tape of the torture crime, Mostafa was brought to justice and he is waiting for his trial. The question is why officer Mostafa is detained till trial as what happened with officer Islam Nabih in the previous post? Why he is left in the large? Also the name of the torture victim is not revealed yet and he is said to have left Egypt to Libya which raises many questions on how/why he could escape the supposedly tight Egyptian police capture. Some say his escape was planned by the police authorities in an attempt to weaken the trial of the involved officers. Some say the suspect deserves the torture as he is accused of raping a 4 year old boy – as per the Ministry of Interior Affairs press release -, but this is not the law.

Yes, the law would surely punish anyone who is accused with such an awful crime, but only after a complete law suit with a final verdict on the case, the law – any law in the world – would not approve of such punishment to suspect before having a final verdict from the Supreme Court.

One can't but wonder if this is how suspects are dealt with in police stations, how it would be for those who are convicted and spending years in prison. It must be "Hell on Earth"!!!

Officer Islam Nabih.........The Torturer

.

.

This is the picture of the police officer Islam Nabih who tortured and sexually harassed the microbus driver Emad El-Kabir. Thanks to the widely published video tape of the torture crime, Islam was brought to justice and he is waiting for his trial in February. The question that every Egyptian is asking now is how much the punishment that such an officer should or would get for such an awful crime. Anyway, let's wait and see but pls. spread the word so that at least we guarantee the social punishment till we see the legal one.

Wael Abbas............Solidarity Campaign

.
.



Can anybody detect the main reason behind this vicious campaign that Wael Abbas is being subject to for the last month almost? Wael Abbas for those who do not know is the founder and Chief Editor of the Arabic Misr Digital electronic news paper.

Wael has been so successful in many of his campaigns within the year of 2006, specially his campaign regarding exposing some of the Egyptian Police Officers that committed torture against Egyptians. Also, his campaign on sexual harassment that took place downtown Cairo in last Eid El Fetr feast was a significant eye opener for many activists. We can't say by all means that he was the only player in all these campaigns, but he was one major contributor to most of them.

For this and more, Wael has been chosen by the BBC to deliver an international Christmas Message among a distinguished group of worldwide known intellects.

He has been lately subject to a real coward campaign that targeted his image and his family's too. He has been accused of various diminishing characteristics all targeting at bringing him into social death and loss of interest of his supporters.

It is so clear that this campaign biased against Wael on the Internet is also coupled with lots of an enormous attack from the semiofficial magazines and news Papers like Rose Al Youssef, Al-Ahram and Al-Akhbar. It is obvious that all these campaigns are targeting to silence Wael and all other bloggers and stop them from exposing the real criminals in our Arab countries. The aspects of Democracy and Freedom that Wael and his friends are presenting made these criminals and tyrants to launch such campaigns.

Wael has his own political, social and cultural views that might agree or disagree with yours, but you can't but respect his sense of loyalty to his cause and persistence in perusing it through.

If we as bloggers would accept that one of us would be hammered and demoralized in this way, then we all will face the same destiny as we all have people that are with us or against us at any point of time. So as we all are in support of free speech and criticism, we should not accept at all the fact that we get demoralized by those who disagree with our views.

Please show your support for our blogger community member Wael Abbas


If you want to read more about Wael Abbas and his works check the Following links:

Rosa Al Youssef attack - The Arabist site
Wael Selection by BBC - BBC site
Blogging in the Middle East - The Raw Story site
Police Brutality Report - Global Voice Online site
Journaist Abeer Alaskary call for support of Wael - Ikhwan Web site

Release Of El-Shaer And Sharkawy

.
.
Well, this must be a happy day for all opposition movements in Egypt as two of the most awaited activists have been released today. Karim El-Shaer and Mohammed Sharkawy both are "Kefaya" members which were detained more than 2 months ago by the Egyptian State Police under the most hated Emergency Law.

They were detained while participating in peaceful demonestrations in support for the Judges. Both were said to have been subjected to sever torture while dtained, actually, Sharkawy sent a letter from his prison cell that was widely spread allover the bloggers community and even some newspaperes.

Anyway, this is not a day to remember torture, it is a day to celebrate and party in the occasion of their release. I just want to send both of them and all their colleagues, "Congratulations Shaer and Sharkawy, wish you have some rest and enjoy freedom and never stop resisting the status qoue. One day - hopefully soon - the whole of our people will be around you while demonestrating for our freedom and liberation".