Dear readers
My colleague today pointed out that a fellow professor has been arrested by the military. Amr El-Shalakany, a well known law professor, and a faculty member at the American University in Cairo, has apparently been arrested and will be tried by a military court. On April 29, 2011, the Daily News Egypt (English edition) reported that Professor El Shalakany was arrested two days ago in the Suez for allegedly "insulting the supreme military council," and even more fantastically causing riots and burning a police station.
The Daily News Reports that "Initially he was to be released Friday when the detaining officers suddenly decided to transfer him to Suez for a trial under martial law."
As an attorney, as an AUC faculty member, and as a supporter of freedom of speech and the rule of law, I am really worried about Amr. I think we need to realize that we are all at risk now. I do not know what happened out in Sharm el Sheikh, but at a minimum, Amr deserves a free and fair trial, and I do not believe that a military trial is appropriate.
I am a khagawa, and I am scared, and I do not know what to do. How can we help him?
Arresting citizens on trumped up charges is not acceptable by any means and underscores a simple idea. The uprising was successful, but the revolution continues.
ReplyDeletehi eg, i hear that amr is out on bail but charges my still be pending aginst him
ReplyDeleteFreedom of speech is an American concept. It's in our Bill of Rights. But that doesn't mean there's any freedom of speech in other countries.
ReplyDeletehenry,
ReplyDeletefreedom of speech is enshrined in the universal declaration of human rights. passed in 1948 by un general assembly
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
not only american concept. article 9,10,19 apply here.