World

Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'

by clorenz1 | February 22, 2007 at 07:02 am

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Editors: please do not flag as incomplete. More details coming.

An Egyptian court has sentenced a blogger to four years' prison for insulting Islam and the president.

Abdel Kareem Soliman's trial was the first time that a blogger had been prosecuted in Egypt.

He had used his web log to criticise the country's top Islamic institution, al-Azhar university and President Hosni Mubarak, whom he called a dictator.

A human rights group called the verdict "very tough" and a "strong message" to Egypt's thousands of bloggers.

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Jordan Yerman

at 08:20 on February 22nd, 2007

This is scary stuff, and all too common. Ironically, here in the West most bloggers are not usually taken seriously to begin with.

publicreader

at 09:54 on February 22nd, 2007

Egypt had never prosecuted a blogger before now, although the Mubarak regime has arrested them. By the way, your comment telling us not to flag this story as incomplete is much appreciated. I am eager to see what else you have to say. This is one of the most important stories in play today, and when I woke up this morning I started an NP entry about it- only to discover, to my extreme delight, that I was scooped! I am sure that all kinds of organizations will be up in arms about this- and there cannot be too much play given to this story. Let's help get this guy out of jail by making cyberspace a very hot place for Mubarak and his toadies.