Prosecutors decide to hold blogger for another 45 days

The Higher State Security Prosecution decided on 18 December to hold Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman (who is better known by the pseudonym of Kareem Amer) for another 45 days for further investigation. He has been detained since 6 November for posting articles critical of Islam on his blog (www.karam903.blogspot.com). ---------------------- 18.12.2006 - Blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman has spent six weeks in custody Reporters Without Borders has repeated an appeal for the release of blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman - known as Kareem Amer - who has been held in custody for six weeks after posting articles on his blog (www.karam903.blogspot.com), critical of Islam. Amer, aged 22, who was arrested on 6 November 2006 has twice had his period in detention extended for two further weeks by judges in Alexandria. “The imprisonment of this blogger, who represents no threat to national security, is unacceptable. His outspokenness may not be popular and he has to take responsibility for his comments, but keeping him in custody without trial is a disgrace for Egyptian justice,” the worldwide press freedom organisation said. “The country is proving yet again that it fully deserves its place on our list of the “13 Enemies of the Internet”, it added. Amer, who is imprisoned in central Alexandria, 200kms north of Cairo, is being held in harsh and insalubrious conditions and shares his cell with common-law prisoners. He is accused of, among other things, “incitement to hatred of Islam” and “circulating rumours threatening public order” for having condemned the government's religious and authoritarian excesses. He was questioned on 8 November, 22 november and 6 December after which investigating judges both three renewed a two-week period of detention. His lawyer was denied access at the third session of questioning. He was previously arrested for posting anti-religious articles on his blog and held for 18 days, in October 2005. ------------- Create your blog with Reporters without borders: www.rsfblog.org