Free Monem?

** be sure to see the update at the bottom of this post **

The blogosphere and mass media alike have rallied impressively to the cause of Abd al-Kareem Sulayman (Kareem Amer), the Egyptian blogger imprisoned for four years for his writings against Islamists.   At the time, I pointed out that while I very much supported focusing on Kareem's plight, "selective outrage, where Westerners care about one anti-Islamist blogger but can't be bothered about equally arbitrary and illiberal repression of hundreds of Islamists, only reinforces general skepticism that this isn't really about freedom, human rights, or democracy."   Some people objected to the comparison between Kareem and Muslim Brotherhood leaders, since the former was only a blogger persecuted for his ideas.  OK, point taken:  the issue is the persecution of youthful bloggers for their free expression of ideas and political activism.    

Early this morning, the blogger Abd al-Monem Mahmoud ("Ana Ikhwan") was arrested by Egyptian security forces.  Monem, a 27 year old journalist, has been one of the driving forces behind the recent turn to blogging by a wide range of Muslim Brothers - including an orchestrated blogging campaign on behalf of the imprisoned Brotherhood members and leaders.  Police raided his house early this morning, but he wasn't there;  he sent out a mass email announcing his situation and then turned himself in.   Alaa Abd el-Fattah, the first benficiary of a high profile "free the Egyptian blogger" campaign, says:  "I believe his arrest is mainly an attempt to silence the campaign agaisnt sending Ikhwan leadership to military tribunal, Monem was coordinating the campaign which used blogs as it’s main tool."  I believe that his arrest may be due to his rising public profile - including my article in the Guardian's Comment is Free, a recent appearance at the Al-Jazeera Forum (where he was featured on al-Jazeera's morning show), and the recent Cairo Anti-War Conference (where he comfortably shared a stage with leftists and human rights activists to spotlight allegations of police brutality).  His "crime" seems to be his growing effectiveness in coordinating an opposition media campaign.   The last I heard, Monem remained in jail and out of contact; I'll update below once I hear more.

Abd al-Monem Mahmoud (left) with leftist blogger Mohammed Sharqawy (source: Arabist.net)

So do those quite appropriately concerned with the fate of Kareem also care are about another blogger arrested for the peaceful expression of his ideas, and his use of blogs to coordinate peaceful political campaigns... even if he is from the Muslim Brotherhood?  Most Egyptian activists understand the common challenge they face, and many are rallying to Monem's cause despite their ideological differences - and Monem distinguished himself with his public support for Kareem despite their own ideological differences.  Will outside observers do the same?  Or are the skeptics right about selective indignation?

UPDATE:  There is now a report on the Ensaa site that Monem is fine and was not arrested - while security forces did raid his house, goes the latest story, and he did send out the message that he was turning himself in, a friend of his now supposedly says that he's not in custody.  Another more recent reports suggests that Monem is not in custody, but is not "fine" -  security forces are searching for him and mistreating his parents.    Is this really a case of state repression against a prominent blogger, or is it really a case of how blogs can quickly spread inaccurate rumors, especially when bloggers are already in a state of near-panic?   The case is developing fast - the Egyptian blogosphere is already festooned with "Solidarity with Abd al-Monem" banners.  I'll update as I hear things.

SUNDAY UPDATE:  Abd al-Monem is now reportedly in police custody.  The Egyptian blogosphere and activists are rallying to his defense in an impressive way - both because Monem is widely respected and liked, and because most Egyptian activists recognize that his arrest is part and parcel of the same regime-led threat to political freedoms regardless of his ideology.   The American media and blogosphere - not so much:  other than myself and Global Voices Online, I can find not a single reference to his case.

Comments

[Amr Gharbeia]

State Security usually threatens to harass, and sometimes detain, a person's loved ones until that person shows up, and they usually punish people for not turning themselves in soonest. Monem is showing more than the usual courage by not turning himself in immediately. The confusion arose after Monem reconsidered turning himself in after the initial message he sent.

The solidarity the bloggers are showing--including Mashi Sah from Saudi!--can be regarded positively. They are making threats more costly to Security, which I think is an attitude we need more of in Egypt. Illegal raids at four in the morning need not be tolerated.

[Alaa]

the misinformation is a side effect of trying to report on a story while it developed.

the sequence goes as such.

*state security sends special forces to arrest several muslim brotherhood members
* Monem receives a phone call from his mother informing him that special forces raided their alexandria home and he is wanted
* Monem decides to turn himself in in order to spare his parents any hardships
* in preparation for his arrest monem sends emails and smss informing people he is about to turn himself in and posts a couple of posts on his blog that can be used as a seed for a campaign
* monem contacts his lawyers who tell him to wait until they find out more details
* lawyers find out there is no legal arrest warrant and advice monem not to turn himself in
* monem hears his father's health is deteriorating and he needs to be hospitalized, monem is now confused and starts contemplating hiding for a longish period
* monem shoots two videos, one about his father's health that gets posted on youtube (is this the first time a wanted political prisoner on the run posts videos on youtube? I'm sure state security appreciated this touch), the other is an interview with Al Hewar TV (his current employer)
* monem judging that since there are no legal arrest warrants he is technically allowed to travel and decides to try and leave the country on a pre-shceduled business trip
* monem passes passport control and boards the plane but gets arrested before plane takes off
* hours later Monem shows up in front of shobra prosecutor is charged with silly charges that can put him in jail for a very long time, monem will spend 15 days in custody then appear before the prosecutor again, prosecutor will most probably send him back to jail when th 15 days are over. this can go on for 6 months (enough time to cook up a good anti-terrorism law?). his arrest is now legal (or as legal as it gets in the land of the pharaohs)

meanwhile we (as in everyone who does that kind of thing) are franticly trying to organize a campaign.

there are tens of other muslim brotherhood detainees, the campaign for Monem should not ignore that.

[aardvark]

thanks alaa - keep me posted as things develop - has anyone heard from momem since he went into custody?

[nora younis]

He is in Tora Mahkoum prison. No visits are allowed for the first 15 days. He will re-appear in front of prosecutor on Tuesday 24 April. His father is very sick and will probably need liver transplant.

US media has to put pressure on US officials to get a yay or nay statement. they are trying to ignore monem big time!

[Ms .45]

For what it's worth...

http://jovialfellow.blogspot.com/2007/04/free-monem.html

In particular I mention that if the MB is starting to wake up to why we have freedom of speech (ie not just so we can draw offensive pics of Mohammed), we (the "West") should encourage and reward this tendency.

Does anyone know what Monem has been charged with? I occasionally write letters for Amnesty International, but I tend to do so only with a strong legal understanding of the person's situation.

[Alaa]

according to his lawyers (http://ensaa.blogspot.com/2007/04/blog-post_416.html) he is being accused of
* being a member of an illegal group (Muslim Brotherhood)
* creating and owning documents and photos that threaten public peace
* participating in clandestine meetings with the purpose of disrupting public order
* spreading false information about the government and security forces using torture systematically (couldn't translate the legal language of this one)

apparently he was questioned about his communication with local and international human rights groups.

one of the interesting aspects of Egypt's legal system is that the prosecutor is not obliged to state very specific charges and cite specific articles of the law, they can wait till they appear in front of a judge and detain you on very vague terms for up to 6 months.

even when they send you to court the judge is allowed to change your charges and use different articles of the law (happened twice with Abdol Karim and yet the judges claim he confessed).

so really the legal details are irrelevant until we get to court.

another thing Monem is facing a special prosecutor (state security), state security courts and prosecutors are considered unconstitutional by most human rights legal experts in Egypt and many of us refuse to reply when being questioned by a state security prosecutor demanding to face a real judge instead. if Monem refused to recognise the prosecutor it typically means we get to learn even less about the charges since the only way lawyers can get information is by hearing the actual questions and readin the paperwork on the spot (they are typically denied access to court and prosecutor documents, that is of course against the law).

[abdelrahman]

وقع بيان المدونين للتضامن مع عبدالمنعم محمود
شارك بتوقيعك
أنشر البيان في كل مدونة تعرفها
ساهم في حرية المدونين .. وحرية منعم
http://free4monem.blogspot.com/

sign the communique og Egyptians bloggers

[Mary]

I went ahead and e-mailed some people involved with the Free Alaa and Free Kareem campaigns to ask them why they weren't fighting on behalf of Monem.

Dalia Ibrahim Ziada of Arabic Human Rights Network said this:
"At the beginning of arresting Monem, I contacted them [the Free Monem campaign] and asked them to help as a human rights activist believing in freedom of speech. Few hours later, I recieved a reply saying that "The unclean hand which defended the disgrace Kareem should not defend our hero Monem"

Esra'a Al Shafel, the Director of Free Kareem, said this:
"We offered our help to one of the campaign's leaders. They didn't take
it."

It appears the Free Monem campaign is refusing the aid offered by secular activists. Can we fix this, bring these two groups together? When the human rights community is divided only one person wins - Mubarak.