Hossam el-Hamalawy, Reem Maged and Nabil Sharaf
called before military judges
called before military judges
30 May 2011
Background: Journalists Hossam el-Hamalawy, Reem Maged and Nabil Sharaf al-Din have been summoned to appear before military judges on 31 May. Mostafa Sheshtawy has a useful post here which provides a translation of Hossam’s comments which have upset the military so much (he called for an end to the practice of military trials for civilians and said he held the head of the Military Police, Hamdy Badeen, responsible for the torture and mistreatment of detainees).
According to Al-Ahram, Nabil Sharaf al-Din was summoned the same day in relation to his criticisms of the Supreme Military Council’s handling of the transition period.
Egyptian activists have called protests in Cairo and Alexandria, details here.
Add your name to this statement: email menasolidarity@gmail.com
Please note this is an updated version which adds Nabil Sharaf al-Din’s name (30/05/11 9pm)
Hossam on Reem Maged's Show
Please circulate widely
We condemn the decision to refer journalists Hossam el-Hamalawy and Reem Maged for questioning by military judges on Tuesday 31 May in relation to their discussion of violations of human rights by the Egyptian military police and the ruling Supreme Military Council on Reem’s political talk show which aired on ON TV on 26 May 2011. We likewise condemn the decision to refer journalist Nabil Sharaf al-Din for questioning by military judges in relation to comments he also made on ON TV.
We will not stand by and see courageous journalists silenced, and we stand in solidarity with all Egyptians who are fighting to defend their rights to protest, strike and express themselves freely. These are precious gains of the revolution of 25 January, during which nearly 1000 Egyptians sacrificed their lives.
We call on the Supreme Military Council to cease its harassment of journalists, activists and citizens who exercise their basic human rights to question their rulers.
We affirm our support for the statement below on the right to strike and protest in Egypt which was first issued in March following the Egyptian cabinet’s decision to criminalize protests and strikes, but which is now more urgent than ever.
“The Egyptian people showed immense courage in overthrowing the dictator Mubarak. They braved armored cars and bullets in order to win freedom and social justice. We call on Egypt’s current military and civilian rulers to respect the Egyptian people’s democratic rights, including the right to protest and strike. We call on the Egyptian cabinet to reverse its decision of 23 March 2011 to criminalize protests and strike action and to threaten those ‘inciting’ such action with imprisonment or huge fines. We demand that the British government cease to provide assistance, arms or equipment to the Egyptian army and security forces which could be used to repress strikes and protests.
We send our greetings to our brothers and sisters in Egypt’s independent trade unions, and pledge that we will not stand by while their rights are under threat. We will mobilize whatever solidarity we can to support their struggle for political freedom and social justice.”
To add your signature please email menasolidarity@gmail.com
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