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Celebrating the Valentine's in time of detention !!

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Aya and Mohamed
"by Mona Nader" 
And on the occasion of the valentine's in Egypt we saw that scene on Saturday during the trial of Aya Hegazy and her team from Baladay NGO and we became speechless.

Mohamed Hassanein, Aya's husband brought her flowers bouquet before the hearing of their trial would star on Saturday.
Hassanein was given the bouquet by one of his friends while he was entering the court.
Aya and Hassanein as well the rest of the defendants in their trial have been detained for 650 days pending trial on charges of "human trafficking" and "sexual exploitation of street children to collect donations in conferences" !!!
According to the official autopsy report which was published earlier by Shorouk newspaper, the kids involved in the case were not sexually abused during their stay in the NGO.
The trial on Saturday was adjourned to next Wednesday in order to hear witnesses and see the evidence in the case.
FYI , Aya Hegazy is a U.S. Citizen but she rejected the help of the U.S. embassy insisting to face the charges as an Egyptian citizen.
Anyhow Happy Valentine's and be grateful that you are free to celebrate it.

Celebrating the #Valetines and breaking the law by occupying the street in Giza. Flowers shop in Agouza [Flickr]

February 14, 2016 at 07:28PM

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A beautiful piece of art made in #Syria showing #Palmyra temple. That piece was given today to my aunt as a present. #Citizenjournalism #blogger February 14, 2016 at 07:28PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1mAQm5Z

And the Egyptian Interior ministry says it did not arrest Giulio

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Egypt's Ministry of interior "MOI" issued a statement early Monday in Arabic and English denying Giulio Regini on 25 January 2016.
Guilio and his family in his sister's graduation 
that what was published in the New York Times about the arrest of late
From three days ago , New York Times issued published a report about Regini's murder where it claimed that he was taken into custody by the Egyptian authority quoting anonymous witnesses as well unnamed three officers allegedly with knowledge about his case.
Those unnamed sources claimed that late Regini was arrested by plainclothes officers because "he was rude" and that he was believed to be a "spy ".
The NY Times came at the same time Reuters published a report with more alleged shocking details from Giulio Regini's autopsy in Cairo.
Now on Monday, the MOI issued that statement in Arabic and English.
Security Information Center official denied reports by western media and newspapers that Egyptian police arrested the...

Needless to say, the Italian media and press published the NY Times report as a fact and their evidence was the human rights record of the Egyptian interior Ministry.
Despite what the Egyptian interior ministry says, it is still among the primary suspects when it comes to the tragic and enigmatic cold bold Regini's murder for one simple reason: Its past black record when it comes to human rights.
As usual, the ministry of foreign affairs and the ministry of interior will blame the foreign media of spreading lies when they do not realize that the Italian officials themselves release statements about the incident. The Italian officials speak and their words reach to us in Cairo in no time directly thanks to the internet as we are in the 21st century for God's sake.
We are not in the 1960s.
I expect at any moment a media gag order issued by the Egyptian prosecutor general in Giulio Regini's case by the way. 

RIP Boutros Boutros Ghali "1922-2016"

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And Egypt's Boutros Boutros Ghali has passed away earlier Tuesday after a long life full of accomplishments in Giza.
The first Egyptian/African/Arab UN secretary-general passed away in a Giza hospital Tuesday afternoon at the age of 94.
The former Egyptian minister of state of foreign affairs was hospitalized from 5 days ago with a broken leg.
Ghali's funeral will be held on Thursday at Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral.
As a recipient of Egypt's Order of the Nile, Boutros Boutros Ghali is given a military funeral.
Boutros Boutros Ghali swearing in as SG at the UN headquarter
in New York in 1991
Ghali's true turning point in Egypt was his role in Camp David talks between Egypt and Israel after the resignation of both Ismail Fahmy in 1977 and Mohamed Ibrahim Kamel in 1978 in a very critical time.
His memories and books about the peace process in the Middle East are very important.
I have just remembered how Hassan el-Tohamy , the late deputy PM and Sadat's eccentric envoy to meet the Israelis secretly in Morocco used to call Boutros Ghali as "Peter" for some reason.
Of course , his true turning point internationally was when he was elected in 1991 as the UN secretary-general  (UN SG). Now, many people attack him him because what they consider as his failure in Yugoslav wars in his term, the Rwandan genocide and Angolan civil war.
The Question here : Since when the UN SG was able to save the world or able to stop wars or genocides !? Let's admit that on the military and political levels, the UN has been the biggest failure of all times.
The UN is good when it comes to culture and social as well economic development in some countries but when we speak about politics, it is a big failure.
People also remember how he was not re-elected as US-SG because Washington did not want so after his report on Qana Massacre that convicted Israel in a rare incident.
For God's sake now in Egypt we mock Ban Ki-Moon for being concerned all the time when the whole world is on fire.
Whether you like Boutros Boutros Ghali or not  you have to agree that the man was that last generation that knew the true meaning of diplomacy and politics.

Late Boutros Ghali in January 2011 in an interview by Der Speigel 
Currently, Egypt has got a huge problem when it comes to politics and diplomacy.
Personally, Boutros Boutros Ghali descended from a very controversial political family.
His grandfather, Egypt's PM Boutros Ghali in early 20th century  was assassinated by nationalist Ibrahim Al-Wardany in 1910 for supporting the British occupation in a number of issues like for instance extending the concession of Suze Canal company for 99 years and taking the British's side in Denshawai incident.
That assassination was portrayed in Western media then as a sectarian act when it was a radical nationalist act.
Till this day, PM Ghali is not respected in Egyptian history and is regarded negatively as occupation supporter.
Then we got Youssef Boutros Ghali , Hosni Mubarak's infamous minister of finance who is sentenced 30 years in jail in absentia.
Among all Mubarak's officials, Youssef Ghali has not returned Egypt after 3 July 2013.
Despite most of Mubarak's officials are off the hook, the former minister of finance refuses to return back for some unknown reason.
I think Youssef Ghali won't attend his uncle's funeral on Thursday.
To be honest, with all what Boutros Ghali did in his life, he was my favorite politician in this family.
Ghali is survived by his wife Leia Maria Ghali Nadler  who descends from a very famous Jewish Egyptian family in Alexandria. Her family "Nadler" used to own famous candy factory that was nationalized during the Nasserite era.
According to Arabic Wikipedia, Leia Nadler's sister Sheila is married to some Israeli minister. Anyhow,  Leia Maria Nadler converted to Catholicism as a young lady.
They did not have kids but without doubts, he left one hell of legacy Egypt will forever remember.
Including that interview with Ali G

Farewell Mohamed Hassanein Heikal "1923-2016"

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Earlier Wednesday, iconic journalist and writer Mohamed Hassanein Heikal passed away after a short illness in Cairo.
The 92-ears old veteran writer and former minister of information passed away after a very long life and legacy whether in journalism or politics in Egypt and the Arab world.
Now one must wonder how he or she can write true balanced obituary or profile for such man who played a significant role in Egypt's politics and media in the past 60 years.
Mohamed Hassanein Heikal

The veteran journalist already did not stop or really quit the political or media arena as he said several times before.
Heikal has left a huge big political legacy that won't stop creating debates or controversy at any time soon.
Just from few months, he created another controversy when he slammed the Saudi decision to intervene militarily in Yemen describing it as "Political crap".
You can imagine how that statement was covered in the Gulf media.
Already the gulf media was not that fond of Heikal because after all he was Nasser's confidant in the 1960s and did not consider Iran as the grand Satan of the Middle East not to mention his position from Syrian revolution.
The man was not already buried in his family cemetery or even his funeral at Al-Hussein Mosque started when the Egyptian and Arab social media was divided into two major groups: The one that praises him and the one that curses.
That has not stopped yet nor it will stop in the upcoming weeks.
That's why I find it hard to profile him now.
Journalistically speaking, Heikal renovated Al-Ahram newspaper making it the number one newspaper in Egypt and the Arab world in its golden years turning into a giant press institution.
Mohamed Hassanein Heikal  in Al-Ahram
The only time me and Mohamed Hassanein Heikal were in the same room in May 2014 
As a writer, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal used that rich and highly eloquent Arabic style that amazes you.
As a historian, his so many books in English and Arabic are another important source of history in the Middle East.
Politically speaking, we can have a lot of debate from here to eternity about Heikal and his political role in Egypt and in the Middle East.
He was not only Nasser's ghostwriter or his number one journalist but also for the first time we find journalist and writer joining that circle of decision making in Egypt in a very critical time.
Despite how many people look to the Nasserite era as the Golden age of Pan-Arabism, it is overshadowed with lots of disasters above them the lack of democracy, the Police State and the six days war.
Naturally, Heikal is always accused of being part of that regime that brought all this to the Middle East.
I felt that it was like a curse that followed the man whenever he tried to speak regardless what his views were.
Since Nasser, Heikal had a very interesting relation with Egypt's presidents.
He had a good start then a bad end with Sadat, Mubarak and Morsi.
Despite the good start with President Sadat and his role in the 1973 war, their relation went from bad to worse to worst especially with the Camp David treaty. In September 1981, the former minister of information was arrested and detained among thousands of Sadat's dissidents.
After his release, Heikal wrote his famous and one of his best-selling "Autumn of fury" slamming Sadat and his rule.
Then came Mubarak who did not read like Nasser or Sadat nor did even like intellectuals.
The relation between Heikal and Mubarak was good in the first couple of years but once again it went from bad or worse or worse.
The late veteran writer was already from the early and very few prominent figures declaring publicly their rejection of Mubarak's policies but also the plans to groom his son for the presidency in Egypt. He paid a price for that and was no longer welcomed to speak publicly in Egypt.
Then came the 25 January revolution and Heikal once again returned back to the media as a writer and a guest speaker in TV shows. He also returned back to politics.
When it comes to Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, things were complicated.
Mohamed Hassanein Heikal in Al-Ahram
Heikal in Al-Ahram newspaper building in May 2014 
The relation between Heikal and the MB as well Morsi was good at first but then the MB could not forget that he was among Nasser's close staff when he began to criticize Morsi's rule.
Then came 3 July and Sisi.
The role of Heikal in summer 2013 will be debatable forever as many say that he was Sisi's adviser during those days. The truth of his role will soon be known but personally, I hope that he has left something written about it in his last days because after all dead people can not defend themselves.
In the following two years again the relations with Sisi went from good to bad.
The old veteran writer already told Sisi in December 2014 to revolt against his regime and lead a "correction revolution" against Muabrak's men.
During then, rumors spread that once again the presidency closed its door to the old veteran political journalist.
In December 2015,he urged El-Sisi to have a vision for the country. That was last TV interview.
Personally, I believe that Heikal realized that Sisi was not even that sort of leader he and other Nasserites wished him to be so.
Since Nasser, all journalists wanted to be Heikal in the Egyptian presidency regardless of who is the president.. and they all failed and turned into bunch of informants
Simply because they are not Heikal and the President was not Nasser.
It was a unique condition of its own.
I do not know what to say more about Mohamed Hassanein Heikal.
Simply he has not left us for really. His books are still there and his interviews are still there. A legacy that will continue creating debate.
Personally, I believe we can learn a lot of that legacy. At least, we can learn from the mistakes and avoid them
May God bless his soul, bring patience to his family and have mercy on us all.

Old font scrapped #Egypt #downtownCairo #Boulaq #blogger #Citizenjournalism #Cairowalk #Cairo [Flickr]

February 18, 2016 at 04:18PM

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Old font scrapped #Egypt #downtownCairo #Boulaq #blogger #Citizenjournalism #Cairowalk #Cairo February 18, 2016 at 04:18PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1PI6iha

Do we need an "Egyptian Lives matter" campaign again !?

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From few hours ago, we found out that another low-ranking policeman killed a citizen, a taxi driver in what you consider a tragic finale for a week full of violations that reach to the level of crimes committed by low-ranking policemen in Egypt.
Thursday evening, news spread online that a low-ranking policeman shot down a truck-driver after a fight in Darb Al-Ahamr area and that the people in the area allegedly killed the policeman in retaliation.
Indeed, a low-ranking policeman shot a truck-driver, 24-years old Mohamed Ali Ismail in a fight over the fare but he fled the scene according to Cairo security directorate which is few blocks away from the crime scene.
Late Mohamed Ismail, a small truck driver  was killed on Thursday
Eye witnesses say that the low-ranking policeman was beaten by the angry people to the level that they thought he died and that other policemen and informants help him to flee the scene.
He accompanied another man allegedly his relative who was also beaten till near death but was transferred to hospital.
Things escalated so fast and the murder sparked protests in Darb Al-Ahamr.
Darb Al-Ahamr is a very populated popular class area where people actually suffer from the violations and harassments of the low-ranking policemen.Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of Cairo security directorate chanting against the ministry of interior angrily "You dirty government, you sons of bitches", " The ministry of interior are thugs"
At Cairo security directorate by journalist Omar El-Hady
Angry protesters by photographer Roger Anis 

Police officers tried to calm them but in vain.
The angry protesters also organized rallies to Ahmed Maher hospital where late Ismail's body was to express their anger blocking the traffic for hours.
At Ahmed Maher Hospital in Darb Al-Ahamr
 by journalist Omar El-Hady

They also protested in front of the famous Haraz herbs and spices shop where the crime took place as the shop turned to have a CCTV.
Here is the video captured by @Fadel Ibrahim.
The CCTV footage
Following the protests and in an attempt to calm angry locals down, the ministry of interior claimed that the 24-years old truck driver was killed by mistake vowing at the same time to arrest the low-ranking policeman.
Well, killing people by mistake does not need three bullets in the head and in the stomach according to the General Prosecution as well to eye witnesses!!
The crime scene by photographer Roger Anis 
Here is a video from Al-Masry Al-Youm from the crime scene including the eye-witnesses' accounts which detail what happened. It was an argument over the fare that turned deadly when the low-ranking policeman insulted the young truck driver by his mother and the late Mohamed Ismail told him not to call his mother names. The low-ranking policeman then took his gun and shot him in his head !!
Al-Masry Al-Youm : eye-witnesses' accounts

At the same time, the head of Cairo security directorate met with the deceased driver's sister vowing to arrest the low-ranking policeman.
The head of Cairo security directorate with the late driver's sister
"The Egyptian ministry of interior" 
News reports say that at three police stations including El-Siyada Zeinab and Darb Al-Ahamr closed their doors for fear of protests.

You can feel that the ministry of interior is worried about escalation in that popular area as well mobilization. I am amazed to see such number protesting on Thursday already.

Do we need an "Egyptian Lives matter" campaign now so the police and the ministry of interior as well the regime understands what we want !?
It is worth to mention the "We are all Khaled Said" movement started like "Black lives matter" and we all know what happened next.
It is worth to mention also that Khaled Said was killed brutally by two low-ranking policemen.

And the Protest law is broken once again

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And once again the protest law is broken in Egypt massively in the same week as Cairo witnessed real protests against the police we have not seen like it in the past three years.
For the second day in a row, protests continue at the Popular areas of Darb El-Ahamr and Bab El-Khalak in Cairo over the murder of a small van driver by a low-ranking policeman on Thursday.
First of all, Egypt's ministry of interior announced late Thursday that it did arrest that low-ranking policeman.
Right after the Friday prayers, hundreds if not thousands of angry people mourned late Mohamed Ali Ismail, the truck drive and walked from Siada Nafissa to the cemeteries of old Cairo to bury him. Photos and video show really angry people who were chanting against the ministry of interior and policemen.
The funeral heading to the cemetery
"Fadel Ibrahim" 
Hundreds if not thousands of mourners at
the funeral of the 24-years van driver " Hazem Abdel Hamed" 

In that video , mourners at the cemetery chant "No God but Allah and the police is the enemy of God" !!
Video interviews taken during the funeral show huge anger not only aimed at the ministry of interior but also at the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi himself.
A lady to Sisi : The youth are killed like chicken
That lady , who seems to be from the working class is wondering about Jika "The political activist killed during Morsi's rule" and Shaimaa El-Sabbagh. Yes, she knows them.
Angry lady to Sisi : Justice ya Sisi
From his side, Sisi had an urgent meeting with Minister of interior Magdy Abdel Ghafer in Sharm El-Sheikh.
After the meeting, the Egyptian presidency issued a statement announcing that the president ordered "legislative amendments" to regulate the security forces' performance in the Egyptian street and to guarantee that those who "violate citizen rights unjustly be punished".
The statement added that the legislative amendments were to be presented to parliament for discussion within the next 15 days.

اجتمع السيد الرئيس عبد الفتاح السيسي اليوم بشرم الشيخ بالسيد اللواء مجدي عبد الغفار وزير الداخلية. وصرح السفيرعلاء يوسف ...
Posted by ‎AbdelFattah Elsisi - عبد الفتاح السيسي‎ on Friday, February 19, 2016

After the funeral, the people of Darb Al-Ahamr returned back to protest at Cairo security directorate for hours.
The protesters at Cairo security directorate by "Adham Ahmed"
This time, they had demands.
1- The dismissal of the minister of interior.
The demands of the people in Darb El-Ahamr 
2- The execution of policeman who killed Mohamed Ismail.
3- Closing down the low-ranking policemen institute.
4- To stop the direct contact between the low-ranking policemen and the people.
5- To transfer immediately the Cassation court prison from Darb El-Ahamr.
For hours, the people blocked the traffic there till security forces dispersed them.
This movement in Darb El-Ahamr shows that revolution is not dead at all or failed but rather it is going on.
Friday evening, the Prosecution decided to detain the low-ranking policeman 4 days pending investigations on charges of intended murder.
Breaking the protest law publicly started this year with the Doctors syndicate's historical general assembly and ironically that historical turnout of doctors happened because 9 low-ranking policemen broke the law and assaulted doctors.
I do not know if it will continue like that or not but 2016 seems to be different.

Same news, old times

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From 21 years ago I find that news in Al-Wafd newspaper " 2 died and 5 others saved as their boat sunk in Al-Waraq.
The families of the deceased are not allowed to bury their relatives before Giza governor finishes his electoral campaign for parliament"
Up till now, boats sink in Al-Waraq , Giza !!
 February 20, 2016 at 11:10PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1mP8F7q

This is why El-Nadeem Center is being picked on

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Last Wednesday, El-Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of victims of torture was on the verge of being closed by the health ministry but its lawyer managed to postpone the execution of the ministry's order till the center knows what is really going on.
The famous and important NGO issued a statement on the same day explaining what happened.


It states that the closure decision was based on law No.453 for 1954 which does not involve clinics but rather restaurants and shops, yes restaurants and shops
Personally, I believe what is going on is part of the crackdown against political activists and NGOs recently in Egypt and the turn is on the famous anti-torture NGO now.



EL-Nadeem HQ in Downtown Cairo "Facebook" 
One of the reasons I think behind this decision to close down Nadeem center is its annual report about violations and torture centers in Egypt in 2015.
According to that report, 700 torture cases were documented in detention n Egypt including 267 cases in the police stations and 241 cases in prisons.
The report also added that 137 death cases were documented in detention whereas 81 deaths resulted due to health negligence.
Interestingly and not surprisingly, the Mataria police station comes as the highest police station wit death rate due to torture in 2015 with 7 cases.
The final fate of the Center will be determined on Monday.
The center is going to challenge the administrative closure in front of the court as well.
Currently, there is solidarity campaign going on with the center originally founded in 1989 whether inside Egypt or outside it. Several international Human rights organizations like Human rights Watch issued statements in solidarity with the well known and respected NGO.
We will see what will happen on Monday isa. 

February 21, 2016 at 04:17PM

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From 21 years ago when #Egypt and #Turkey had normal relations #Citizenjournalism #blogger #newspapers #archives #mideast #demirel #ciller February 21, 2016 at 04:17PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1WAMlLj

From 21 years ago when #Egypt and #Turkey had normal relations #Citizenjournalism #blogger #newspapers #archives #mideast #demirel #ciller [Flickr]

Now you realize that We do not live in a secular state ya Ibrahim!?

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On Saturday , a Cairo misdemeanor appeals court sentenced Egyptian writer and journalist Ahmed Naji two years in jail for publishing a "sexual flagrant article violating public's modesty" in the state-owned cultural newspaper Akhbar Al-Adab" last year.
Sisi's religious state imprisons
writer. Al-Makkal newspaper

The "sexual flagrant article" is an actually a chapter of Naji's novel"The guide for using life" issued in 2014.
The editor-in-chief of Akhbar Al-Adab was fined LE 10,000.
That editor-in-chief claims now that he did not read the chapter and just agreed that it would be published without knowing its content !!!

In early January, the misdemeanor court already acquitted both Naji and Akhbar Al-Adab newspaper's editor-in-chief but the prosecution appealed and we all knew what happened.

Many people are against the court ruling for the sake of the freedom of expression mostly from the 25 January revolution supporters and it is not surprising for me.

Now I was surprised to see someone like Ibrahim Eissa slamming the court ruling as well El-Sisi's state describing it boldly as a "religious state" in his newspaper "Al-Makkal".

Eissa, who became a strong advocate for El-Sisi turning against the 25 January revolution and its activists suddenly realized that we are not living in a true civil secular state as it seems.

Ironically since day one, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi did not promise anyone with that civil secular state.
Thanks to dear Ahmed Abu Hussein, he reminded us with El-Sisi's statements and views on the religious state and the role of religion during his presidential campaign.
Sisi in 2014: I am responsible for religion, values and principles
"There is nothing called religious leadership because the head of state should be responsible of everything in the country including its religion." He told Sky News Arabia TV host adding that he would be responsible for values, morals and religions in the country.
Ibrahim Eissa was there when he heard that statement like the rest of us.
Now, Eissa is back to scream on TV turning backward to the opposition but the problem he lost most of his "revolutionary supporters".
Back to Naji and that trial, simply the Egyptian state and its institutions including judiciary since 3 July are trying to prove that it is not less conservative than the Muslim Brotherhood in order to appeal to the conservative masses.
I remember how ex-PM Mahlab made history and banned Haifa Wehbe's film. Then in the past few weeks, we got the incidents like Fatima Naoot , Islam Behairy and Rana El-Sobky as a reminder for real about freedom of expression in Egypt.
The secular Egypt and the reform in religious discourse are only used for PR only with the West.
Interestingly, there is a silence among most Egypt's prominent novelists and writers as well intellectuals unexpectedly considered how vocal they were during the days of Morsi.
Yes, I have to bring that up because part of revolting against Morsi to protect the freedom of expression in Egypt.
By the way, you do not have to read or agree with Naji nor to like him as a writer.
It is about the principle of freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is constant principle whether Morsi or Sisi's time.
Oh by the way, I think the Islamists and the Muslim Brotherhood are in a big test now regarding the freedom of expression. Amazingly the Conservative Pro-Sisi supporters and Pro-Islamist MB supporters are against Naji online now and support his imprisonment.
And I will say it again, "First they came for the socialists..."

From 21 years ago : MB fought Military trials and Fifi Abdou referred to Criminal court

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From 21 years ago, the Muslim brotherhood was still challenging the order to refer its members to military court  while recent Instagram star and veteran belly dancer Fifi Abdou and her daughter were accused of assaulting a standup comedian and were referred to criminal court.
The MB members are still referred to military court and Fifi is out of legal trouble but is still making headlines thanks to the social media.
February 22, 2016 at 01:22PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1L5hfux

So is it toddler or the teenager or the grown-up man who is sentenced to life in prison !?

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Just as the news about how a Cairo Military court sentenced  a 4-years-old boy to life in prison on violence-related charges above the murder of three people in Fayoum in 2014 hit the wires and
Adorable Ahmed Mansour "Dream TV"
became the talk of the world, the Egyptian state decided to fire back.
Last week, a Cairo military court sentenced 4-years old Ahmed Mansour with 116 other defendants, to life in prison on nine charges that included killing four people in Fayoum governorate and attempting to kill six others in January 2014.
Little Mansour was only two years old when those clashes happened between security forces and Pro-Morsi supporters.
According to the Child's family, the boy's father was arrested for 4 months instead of him when the police came and found a toddler instead of their wanted criminal.
Do not ask me why the father was officially arrested for 4 months before he would be released by a court order without a bail officially.
On Saturday, the official spokesperson Police General Abu Bakr Abdel Karim made a phone call to Dream TV 2's 10 PM TV show when it was hosting Ahmed Mansour and his father to explain the matter.
According to Abdel Karim, there was a mistake in the name of the defendant and that's they were searching for Ahmed's uncle, a 16-years old teenager instead.
Ahmed's father corrected the police general telling him that his brother, Ahmed's uncle is actually 52 years old.
Dream TV's interview with Ahmed Mansour's father
The TV interview with Ahmed's father who brought his sleepy son to the studio was the talk of the town to the level that the Egyptian armed forces issued a statement about the incident on Sunday.

ملخص قضية المتهم / أحمد منصور قرنى شرارة ... ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ...
Posted by ‎الصفحة الرسمية للمتحدث العسكرى للقوات المسلحة‎ on Sunday, February 21, 2016
Egyptian armed forces spokesperson said that according to the investigations of the Homeland security in Fayoum, an official report was filed on 4 January 2014 mentioning the name of 16-years old Ahmed Mansour as a suspect in the case.
On 5 January 2014, the prosecution issued an arrest for Mansour, the teenager in address "xxxxx" in Fayoum but since then he has been on the run and has not been arrested yet so he was tried in absentia.
Okay, one must ask why the kid's father was detained for 4 months !?
The army spokesperson says that the arrest warrants were issued on the investigations of the Homeland security in Fayoum.
Interestingly, the 4-years old years Ahmed Mansour's lawyer said on Dream TV2 that a mistake was made as a tip was give to the Homeland investigations that someone by the name of Ahmed Mansour, who lived in the same street as the toddler, was involved in the violence.
But, there was no one with that name lived at that street except  the 2-years old Ahmed Mansour then !!
I do not know what to say.
Somebody screwed big time in his investigations
Thanks to journalist and writer Mohamed Abo El-Gheit, I realized that the incident of the 4-years-old boy is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the question marks in that particular case.
As a fine journalist, Abo El-Ghait made a little research and found out the following interesting fact that three victims allegedly killed by 116 defendants in the case were actually MB supporters.
He also found out that their families accuse the authorities of shooting them and that no security personnel was included in the case.
Of course, one must wonder about other defendants in the case.
Once again, we find ourselves in front of a case that indicates a huge problem with the Egyptian justice system itself.
Once again, we find ourselves in front of a case that is a living proof to reject military trials for civilians.
True Justice brings peace, justice is the first as well the only way for true stable security in the society.

Listen to the president only #Egypt #Sisi #newspapers #citizenjounalism #blogger #news [Flickr]

February 25, 2016 at 05:31PM

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Listen to the president only #Egypt #Sisi #newspapers #citizenjounalism #blogger #news February 25, 2016 at 05:31PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1SXjnXY

Sisi's 2030 speech : Be worried ... be very worried

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Egypt's sarcasm Facebook pages and accounts are having one hell of busy day thanks to the latest speech of President Abdel Fattah early Wednesday in Egypt 2030 conference.
Comic, memes and videos are published at a crazy rate on Facebook pages like Asa7be Sarcasm Society.
Being the first Egyptian president up for sale on eBay for several hours following his emotional plea in the speech that he would sell him to save the country made more headlines in Mashable,BBC and Foreign policy than the original speech with its important details. "There is similar page for him on Facebook"
But speaking seriously, there is nothing funny about the speech when you listen to it carefully.
Sisi speaking in the speech
"screen capture from presidency twitter account"
The speech is very alarming.
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was extremely nervous more than any other speech I could remember.
He was nervous and angry in that improvised speech.
He slammed the government's critics including his own supporters. Ironically, it has been an old 23 July state legacy to make the cabinet as the punching bag when the president has got all powers. Now Sisi defends Ismail's cabinet and says he meets with the ministers and knows what we do not know. I do not know what his supporters will say after claiming that the cabinet is working against his instructions.


"If you love Egypt then you have to listen to me only, listen to me only." Sisi said in his speech and now you have to be very worried on many things now starting with freedom of expression to democracy to the views of the President himself. Does "Listen to me only" man listen to others !?
"If you are not with us then be silent !!" I do not know what to say or comment for real !!

Then comes his big moment when he shouted "Who are you ?? Who are you? I swear by God, anyone comes near to Egypt, I wipe him off the face of the earth".

Who are those he was referring to !? Did Sisi mean the opposition in general or the Muslim Brotherhood or the terrorists or some other power we do no know !?
People and political analysts I have met in the past 24 hours are wondering about the same thing. "Who are {they} ?
Then comes the part where Sisi says that he would sell himself if he could be sold when it comes to Egypt's economic crisis.
Now that term was actually common in Egypt's countryside as a sign of sacrifice in the old days as I have been told. Sisi was brought up in Islamic Cairo but has got countryside roots.
Of course, it turned to be the biggest meme of all times.

Then we have got the charity economy where Sisi suggested that Egyptians should give Egypt a "morning call" aka to donate to the Presidential "Long Live Egypt" Fund in an SMS  text to provide the country with bunch of billions every year !!
I wish that solving the economic crisis was that simple !!!!

Ironically his phrase regarding that matter turned into another wild meme especially he used a word accidentally in Arabic that is commonly used by weed smokers in their slang in Egypt !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Admitting that the Russian airliner was downed in a terrorist attack  after nearly three months of official Egyptian denial was the only thing highlighted in the international media from the long speech seriously.
I am not surprised that international media cared about that only but I am surprised that there has been no official reaction from the Egyptian ministries of interior or aviation or foreign affairs regarding the President's Statement.

The Egyptian President also admitted that Egypt is going to suffer from water shortage as soon Ethiopia inaugurates the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance dam and starts if first filling of its reservoir.
Heavens forbid, nobody dares to speak about Egypt's failure in the dam's talks.

Sisi's mentioned Modern Egypt's founder Mohamed Ali Pasha in his speech for some reason. It is an irony because that Albanian man had a great vision for Egypt that turned the whole Middle East upside down.

Many people are trying to interpret that mention. One thing we know about the Albanian man of the castle did not a freak-out moment in public despite he collapsed in the end.

Now, many Egyptians who are making fun of Sisi's speech online are actually worried, very worried but they are using their oldest and simplest weapons against challenges and hardships: sarcasm. Sarcasm and political joke have been  our own secret weapon against foreign occupations and local dictators alike from the dawn of history.

Unfortunately, no one is paying attention to that vision of Egypt in 2030 or how we are going to achieve those promising goals planned by the current administration in the current unpromising economic conditions.
Sisi's speech overshadowed the whole thing, unfortunately.
Also, Egypt is not poor in its sources but its poor in its leadership's imagination.

Sisi's long speech
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