UN secretary-general asked to raise imprisoned blogger’s case with Egyptian president
Reporters Without Borders today asked UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon to raise the case of imprisoned blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during the two-day Arab League Summit that begins tomorrow in Riyadh.
Suleiman was given a four-year sentence on 22 February because of his blog posts, which he wrote under the pseudonym of Kareem Amer. Reporters Without Borders points out the UN has chosen Egypt to host the Internet Governance Forum in 2009.
Letter sent on 27th March by Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard : "Dear Secretary-General, Reporters Without Borders would like to ask you to raise the case of imprisoned blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during the two-day Arab League Summit that begins tomorrow in Riyadh.
Mr. Suleiman, who is better known as "Kareem Amer," received a four-year sentence on 22 February because of his blog posts.
We would point out that the UN has agreed to Egypt’s hosting the Internet Governance Forum in 2009, a choice that would seem inappropriate as long as this young blogger remains in prison.
We know you are committed to promoting an uncensored Internet, one on which users can express themselves freely.
We therefore feel sure you would agree that it would damage the UN’s credibility if one of the seven countries in the world that imprison bloggers was asked to host the IGF.
We remind you that the second stage of the World Summit on the Information Society - which paved the way for the IGF - took place in Tunisia, a country that systematically violates online free speech.
Mr. Suleiman was arrested on 6 November 2006 because of articles he had posted on his blog (www.karam903.blogspot.com), in which he often condemned the government’s authoritarian excesses and criticised Egypt’s highest religious institutions, especially the Sunni university of Al-Azhar, where he studied law.
He was sentenced on 22 February to three years in prison for "inciting hatred of Islam" and one year for "insulting" the president. The sentence was upheld on appeal on 12 March.
While his outspokenness may have caused displeasure, we do not think it justified putting him in prison. We trust you will give this matter your careful consideration."