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DSC08275 [Flickr]

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Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC08275

A view from Egypt's Countryside in Sharkia governorate , Nile Delta


Mohamed Soltan is deported to U.S at last

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Egyptian-American Mohamed Soltan has been released and deported to the U.S according to his family early Saturday. Soltan was sentenced to life in jail in the Rabaa control room last month.
Here is the statement from Hanaa Soltan.

By the grace of God, we are incredibly happy to confirm that Mohamed is on his way home after nearly two years in...
Posted by Hanaa Soltan on Saturday, May 30, 2015

It is unclear whether Soltan has given up his Egyptian nationality or not. According to the Egyptian law "which was amended by a presidential decree in 2014" foreign prisoners are deported to their country. Updated : It is confirmed , he had to give it up despite he did not want to but he accepted to give up his Egyptian nationality because of his family's pressure after the life sentence verdict.

Of course giving up his nationality to get his freedom is another crime committed and injustice frankly speaking. Very positive message indeed !!!

Hopefully insh Allah he will restore it back.

Arrested in August 2013 at his home while caring for his sick mother instead of his father prominent MB preacher Salah Soltan, Mohamed Soltan was in detention for almost 643 days.

He started full and partial hunger strike from time to time to demand for his release.

He had been on a hunger strike whether partial strike or full on for almost 489.

Historically I believe Soltan has the longest record when it comes to hunger strike in Egypt.


Ramadan is coming [Flickr]

Demolishing Egypt's NDP Building While its Soul survives

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On Sunday , the Egyptian government started to demolish the building of the former National Democratic Party in Cairo. The Egyptian armed forces’ engineering authority is supervising the process.
The end of that building after decades "Mosaab El-Shamy for AP" 
Bulldozers began to bring that building which was another sign of authoritarian regimes in Egypt since late 1950s despite the demands of many Egyptians to leave the building as a landmark of the 25 January revolution. "Read more about its history at Cairo Observer"

A group from 25 January supporters started petitions in order to keep the NDP building as a reminder for any ruler in Egypt that the Egyptian people are capable to revolt against dictatorship.

On 28 January 2011 a fire started in the NDP building in the evening after the epic storming of protesters to Tahrir square and their clashes with security forces. Legend says the NDP building fire started from inside the building at one of its secret rooms by the orders of Ahmed Ezz himself.

On the other hand , what we have seen in front of the TV channels on that day angry protesters outside the building torching it as well looters who looted the Salons of the NDP in an unforgettable scene.

I remember seeing smokes coming from it next day on 29 January 2011. I remember it like hours earlier today and that feeling while heading to Tahrir square after a sleepless night.



For three years that torched building was a symbolic reminder of that change brought by 25 January revolution despite its failure.

Well,the current government demolished the NDP building today while it is still keen to keep the heritage of Socialist Union then and the NDP alive with the same old authoritarian policies.

They can demolish the building as they want, its stinky evil soul is still there and alive suffocating us for years to come. 

Journalists syndicate in #Cairo 's #Graffiti [Flickr]

Journalists syndicate in #Cairo 's #Graffiti [Flickr]

June 01, 2015 at 12:39PM

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The Journalists syndicate in #Cairo 's #graffiti commemorating some of the fallen journalists in #Egypt in the past 4 years #picstitch #Blogger #Citizenjournalism June 01, 2015 at 12:39PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1FozSRq

June 01, 2015 at 12:49PM

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I love that building and its details despite the disgusting shops below #downtowncairo #Cairo #Blogger #Citizenjournalism June 01, 2015 at 12:49PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1SQ1pEL

Downtown Cairo [Flickr]

Downtown Cairo [Flickr]

Once again time for internet Revolution in Egypt

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It is not that revolution in mind. That Internet revolution people are speaking now in Egypt is about the prices of Internet services and speeds in Egypt.
Egypt’s internet Revolution campaign is reminding the minister of telecommunication Khaled Negm with his promise to reduce the prices of internet services and spreads in Egypt in early June. Now we are in early June and nothing happened.
This report from Ahram Online will explain to you what I am speaking about and this graph will make it clearer to you why we complaining. As you can see we pay money more than several countries and yet we got slower speed.

From his side minister Khaled Negm of telecommunications tweeted that the delay to lower the prices had to do with the procedures and commercial stuff. He also added that it was untrue that the government refused to lower the prices.


Now Egypt’s Internet Revolution re-launched its famous hashtag “ISP_steal_from_us”. The hashtag hit Egypt’s top twitter trend on Wednesday and Thursday uniting all Egyptians despite their political affiliations amazingly.

Top trends in Egypt 
Ironically that this is the only revolution people are allowed to speak about in Egypt online now.
Even more ironic the Saudi tweeps participated in the hashtag and they are complaining as well from their own ISP companies.
Top trends in Saudi Arabia 
My ISP is TEData and the service sucks when it comes to speed. It is not that I have to pay a lot of money for the speed I got, the service is bad and frequently is down where I live as well other places in Cairo. If I dare to call the technical service to complain, the standard answer will be reboot your router !!”.
Anyhow it is time that we have fair prices for the internet 

Remember, Remember the Fifth of June

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Yesterday was the 48th anniversary of the Six days war defeat in Egypt or as we called it “The 67 setback”.
Nasser’s media and later the Egypt’s media called it a “setback” and not as a defeat because “defeat”word was affecting the morale of the Egyptian army and the Egyptian people. Also Nasser’s era should not hold any “defeats”, it was only a “setback” that hindered the progress of Nasser and we would stand high out of it as usual.

We stood high indeed once again and we restored Sinai through war and peace. Yes the Egyptian army restored its dignity through a magnificent attack plan that wiped the disgrace of the Field Marshal of Nothing Abdel Hakim Amar’s withdrawal plan but till this day Egypt, Middle East as well the World suffer from this defeat.

I do not need to speak about the reasons of why Egypt was defeated politically and militarily. We all know why we were defeated and it was not because the Israelis were more advanced.
Anyhow this year I would like to present to you a special look to the Egyptian press from 48 years old ago.
Those were the issues of Al-Messa Daily newspaper, Egypt's oldest evening newspaper from 48 years ago , from 5 June 1967 to 8 June 1967. Nasser declared the defeat on 9 June 1967.
On 5 June 1967
Upper Headline: We downed 43 enemy
Jetfighters   


On 6 June 1967: The Arab army is marching to Tel
Aviv 

On 7 June 1967: The fight is still on 

On 8 June 1967 : Our jetfighters destroy an enemy
armored vehicles in Arish
Unfortunately,the Egyptian mainstream is back to this business. Not only the mainstream but also the social media as many of the Facebook pages spreading lies for the sake of the nation !!
By the way there is a new trend spreading as usual and as expected the Pro-Sisi and Pro-Military supporters are attacking those who remind the Egyptians on why we had the defeat. Those supporters ignore and forget that that lies made Egypt lose Sinai and nearly destroyed the Egyptian army

Trees and birds on the facade of an old Zamalek building #Cairo #Egypt #details [Flickr]

DSC02944 [Flickr]

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Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

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Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor , Aswan "year 2012"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnak

DSC02945 [Flickr]

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Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

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Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor , Aswan "year 2012"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnak


DSC02946 [Flickr]

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Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC02946

Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor , Aswan "year 2012"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnak

DSC02947 [Flickr]

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Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC02947

Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor , Aswan "year 2012"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnak

Where are Esraa El-Taweel and friends ?

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Where is Esraa El-Taweel? Where is Sohip Saad? Where is Omar Mohamed? 

For 13 day, Freelance photographer and University student Eraa El-Taweel has  disappeared along with her friends Sohip Saad and Omar Mohamed in Maadi since 1 June 2015 when they all went for horseback riding and then dinner.
Sohip , Esraa and Omar
They have not been seen since then. Their mobile phones have been closed yet last week the families of El-Taweel and Mohamed got missed calls from their mobile phones for one just one second and then the mobile phones went off.
The Ministry of interior as well the military prosecution denied that they were detained as their facilities and detention centers as it was spread earlier.
 There was a popular theory that Esraa was arrested because she was taking photos at the Corniche El-Nil in Maadi and the military police arrested her and her friends. Nevertheless
I know Esraa El-Taweel as a blogger and tweep.
She is also a very talented photographer in the revolution who is outgoing and cheerful, loving life and adventure.
Esraa and her camera 
She was raised in Saudi Arabia where her father works yet she came to Egypt to complete her university  study. A friendly person, El-Taweel had friends from Islamists , liberals and leftists. El-Taweel was close and a friend to many young MB members and she used to take photos of their weddings. Yet Esraa El-Taweel is not an MB member.
She used to cover the protests but she was not a political activist.
On 25 January 2014, the cheerful and outgoing girl was shot by security forces when they dispersed the protests at Mostafa Mahmoud square during the commemoration of the January revolution anniversary.
The injury made her lose her ability to walk and already there is another firearm shot was still in her body, in her stomach to be precise that can not be extracted. For many months, Esraa could not move and was using a wheelchair. Only from couple months ago Esraa began to move around without a wheelchair.
After her injury, Esraa began to lose in politics and called her friends not to go to Pro-Morsi rallies and protests because they would either shot down or injured or arrested. She was only cared about her family, her friends and her pets especially her cat Woody. Now Woody is depressed after the sudden absence of her friend and does not want to eat.

Why am I saying all this?

I am not justifying the forcible disappearance of anybody yet some websites like Dot Misr and other Pro-regime websites spreading lies like Esraa El-Taweel was the spokesperson of the MB’s “Women against Coup” in order to justify her disappearance indirectly in a very disgusting way.
El-Taweel already used to mock the MB’s attitudes especially against women as well the hardcore MB women’s actions and attitudes after ousting Morsi calling them “Haraeir Creatures”. { MB used Haraeir to describe their female members and fan base, the Arabic term which means Free Women in Arabic is originally used in Syria to describe the Pro-Revolution women supporters in 2011 and 2012}.
Erass’s family has not stopped searching for her everywhere. Her sisters back in Egypt sent telegram about her sudden disappearance to the Prosecutor general and the President.
The trio 

Sohip Saad, the political sciences student disappeared with Esraa and Omar , he was them. Sohip already was among the four students released pending the retrial of famous Al Jazeera international case  along with journalists Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. Saad is already accused of sending material to Al Jazeera network and joining a banned organization aka The Muslim Brotherhood. Of course brotherhood is designated as a terrorist organization.

Former Al Jazeera International Journalist Mohamed Fadel Fahmy tweeted from a couple of days that Sohip , Esraa and Omar were detained at Egypt’s State security or rather Homeland security HQ as it is being called now in Maadi.

The Homeland security denied as well the ministry of interior has maintained denying that it knew anything about the fate of the three young people. Already during the on-going retrial of Al-Jazeera International journalists or as known in the Egyptian media as “The Marriott Cell” Case , the Criminal court judge issued an arrest warrant for Sohip Saad who did not show in court on Thursday.I am not a legal expert, but already I do not understand if this is a legal procedure normally is done when one of the defendants is absent in court.

Sohip Saad’s family reported officially his disappearance to the authorities. It is worth to mention that since his release in February and according to his social media activity, Sohip Saad used to hang out with his friends including Esraa El-Taweel just like any other young man in his age. He also used to go to his parole officer at El-Haram police station according to my knowledge on time.
Esraa taking a snapshot for Omar in her homeland Behaira 
Omar Mohamed,a friend of Esraa and Sohip was also taken with them to the unknown. I did not know him before but from the words of his sister and friends, this young was not engaged in politics and was only focusing on gaming and Xbox.His sister Maram even wrote a Facebook post speaking about how her brother, an engineer loved films and TV shows only . She even launched a hashtag called “Freedom for those who are not interested in politics.”

إيه ياعُمر.. مش مكسوف من نفسك كدة يا بابا والناس عمالة تجيب في سيرة إسراء الطويل اللي انت مخطوف معاها، وماحدش عارف يجيب...
Posted by Maram Mohamad on Thursday, June 4, 2015

From a couple of days, ago Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed El-Shamy said that Omar Mohamed appeared at Maximum security “The scorpion prison” in Tora prison at the outskirts of Cairo in Ward “H”.


Tora prson denied that Omar Mohamed was detained at the complex. Last week Minister of interior aide for media and public relations said on TV that there was no information about Esraa and her friends whereabouts promising to investigate the matter.

Police general Abu Bakr speaks about Esraa and friends

Sadly enough as well shockingly enough when Esraa’s sisters Duaa and Alaa El-Taweel went to report the disappearance of her sister and her friends to the National council for human rights last week , they found out that many reports about missing people in Egypt since August 2013.

They also found that the forcible disappearing cases have been increasing fearfully in the past two months, especially this month.

انهارده روحنا نقدم شكوى للمجلس القومي لحقوق الانسان في اجتماع لاهالي المختفين اختفاء قسري، ايه دا !! ايه اللي بيحصل في ا...
Posted by ‎آلاء الطويل‎ on Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The National Council for Human rights which officially follows the
 state announced last week that it received a special report from “Freedom to the Brave campaign” about the forcible disappearance of 163 people since April as well 50 complaints from families about the disappearance of their relatives. Most of the reported cases are for youth who are some of them affiliated to political groups like
April 6 Youth.
Woody and Esraa 
According to “Freedom to the Brave Campaign” ‘s report , since April there have been 66 forcible disappearance cases according to international standards recorded and 64 cases of arbitrary detention as well 31 cases that could not be followed or traced. The majority of the cases recorded were in Cairo then in Kafr El-Sheikh governorate then in Giza.
Recently April 6 youth reported that several members disappeared across the country. Some of them appeared later detained illegally in police stations and were released for several days while others are not lucky yet.
The case of Esraa and her friends highlighted the recent forcible disappearance cases in Egypt.
I am sad and angry of myself that I am only writing now about Esraa and her friends but at least I am glad that several websites in Arabic and English spoke about her.
I feel helpless and to be honest her disappearance was overshadowing my week with all the fears on her safety  as well her future.
I just want Esraa to return safe to her Cat Woody and her ladybirds , Sohip to return to his family and friends and Omar to return to his films and his Xbox.  I am praying for the safety of the three especially Esraa.
I just want the regime and its supporters to respect the law and constitution before human rights.


#Ramdan decoration at fast food chain #Egypt [Flickr]

A Very small stand for a bigger Cause

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Just from few moments ago, Egyptian tweeps knew that there has been a very small and sudden stand in front of the Presidential palace in Heliopolis this afternoon in solidarity with recent victims of forcible disappearance.
The girls at the presidential palace "Nermin Hussein" 
They were 7 girls, yes 7 girls carried banners with the photos of Esraa, Sohip and Omar in front of
The girls and policemen
"Nermin Hussien" 
the Presidential palace as well anti-Sisi banner. Those girls were not arrested. Some journalists were in the scene luckily. They stood for a short time till the police officers urged them to leave.
The girls left but at least they left a message that there are still crazy young people who can go to the street holding a banner against the president. Of course I wonder what would happen to those girls later.
It is day 14 following the absence Esraa, Sohip and Omar.
Now the families of Sohip and Omar got confirmations from detainees at Tora farm prison at Tora prisons complex that both young men are currently detained there. Yet again the prison administration denied that both Sohip and Omar are detained there !!
There is nothing about Esraa unfortunately so far.
It is frustrating and alarming. 

الوقفة النسائية عند الإتحادية لإنجازات العرص وبانر ل #اختفاء_قسري ل إسراء الطويل وصهيب سعد وعمر علي ..

Posted by Nermin Hussein on Sunday, June 14, 2015
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