Abdel Kareem Sentenced to Four Years

During the five-minute court session the judge said Soliman was guilty and would serve three years for insulting Islam and inciting sedition, and one year for insulting Mr Mubarak.

Hafiz Abou Saada of the Egyptian Human Rights Organisation called the sentence "a strong message to all bloggers who are put under strong surveillance".

- BBC

The 22-year-old former law student, whose own father has disowned him and called for his execution under Islamic law, was sentenced to four years by a court in Alexandria.

- Telegraph

Actually, the Telegraph editor-in-chief will cry when he hear about this misstake in the article:


Also in the news today:

Egypt Nabs Suspected Terrorists

Hundreds of state-security forces and military intelligence personnel launched a search Thursday morning in Egypt's northern Sinai Peninsula looking for the two Palestinians.

The search began a day after 23 Palestinians and Egyptians were arrested and confessed to plotting a series of attacks against tourists, mainly Israelis in southern Sinai resorts.

Among those arrested was a young Palestinian, wearing an explosives belt, who had entered Egypt illegally at Rafah through an underground tunnel from the Gaza Strip.

A Pyramid for Your Neighbors

This guy in Arizona built a giant pyramid in his own backyard. The neighbours are not happy:

Richard is a dick" became the rallying cry of the neighbors who now sought to have him forcibly removed from the area, his pyramid house reduced to rubble, and his slave labor sent back to wherever slave labor comes from.

If I wanted to see a pyramid in my backyard, I would have moved to ancient Egypt," said angry neighbor Marty Hornchair. "I don't think my wife would ever go for that though, she can really be a bitch sometimes.

Amusing. You tell me if it is true. Link.

Free Kareem Demonstrations, Feb. 15

Demonstrators around the world will protest on February 15th against the continued imprisonment of Egyptian blogger Abdelkareem Nabil Soliman, a 22-year-old student arrested last November for criticizing the Egyptian government on his personal website. Protests will take place in New York City, London, Rome, Paris, Ottawa, Bucharest, Washington, DC, and a growing number of cities, in hopes of persuading Egyptian authorities to drop all charges against Mr. Soliman, also known by his online handle, Kareem Amer.

Read the full press release.

Miss Mabrouk Enters the New Blogger

Yepp, Blogger finally moved me to the new platform. Shouldn´t be any changes in appearance but if they missed a few posts in the transfer, do let me know! :)

Smile of a President?

If it takes another democrat to stop the former first Lady to become president of the USA, then let us hope this smile is enough to take Barack Obama all the way.

I´m still for Condi, of course. But in a race against Obama she has the additional disadvantage of being a woman. Black president, maybe. Female president, perhaps. Black and female? Just a small possibility. Also, she IS a republican. I hear they are not too popular in the great colony in the west nowadays.

I am still anti Hillary. She is stiff. She is pale. She is in constant pain or else she would be able to put on a natural smile. Her main disadvantage: the luggage from the Clinton presidency. I really do not think the American voters are in for another round of that.

Barack Obama is fresh news. Next to him, Hillary is soooo yesterday.

Also, I am quite positive Cindy Sheehan thinks Hillary is really smart.

Washington Post article: Obama formally launches presidential bid

Honour revenge in Art

Beautiful art by dutch illustrator Irene Maria Jacobs. Click here to see the full picture, it is a story in itself. More art on display over at Verlee's blog and the artist's homepage gallery. The new image in my sidebar portrait field is also borrowed from Irene Maria. Loads of beauty on her site.

Egypt Bloggers Reveal New Torture Case

The Arab Times (Kuwait) points to the horrible facts and give credits to bloggers who are revealing it. Link.

Amnesty: Trial of Blogger Expands Realm of Repression

Karim Ameer is up in court again today.

Amnesty International today called for the immediate and unconditional release of Karim Amer, the first Egyptian blogger to be tried for writing blogs criticizing Egypt's al-Azhar religious authorities, President Husni Mubarak and Islam.

Read the press realease.