Egyptian Blogger Sentenced to 15 Years

Alaa Abd El Fattah, a prominent blogger, known as a key figure in the local 2011 uprising, has recently been sentenced to 15 years in jail for arranging a demonstration on the Internet. The blogger had been arrested by each of Egypt’s 5 leaders since Mubarak. Abd El Fattah was one of the activists who are most associated with the 2011 uprising in Egypt, which briefly ended 60 years of autocratic rule. Now the blogger was sentenced to 15 years in jail for allegedly arranging a protest online.

According to his sister, also a prominent campaigner, Abd El Fattah and another activist were sentenced in absentia. Before that, they were barred from entering the courtroom, arrested and taken to jail by some of the officials who had earlier blocked the blogger’s entrance. She wrote on Facebook that her brother was waiting for the judge to allow the guards to enter the venue and attend their session, but instead someone from the prosecution arrested them and took to prison.

The most interesting thing is that the blogger didn’t participate in the protest against military trials that he was accused of arranging. Apparently, the military just wanted to jail him. Two months ago, two dozen policemen raided the blogger’s house, broke the door down, and proceeded to confiscate his and his family’s PCs and mobile phones. In response to his demand to show the arrest warrant, the police beat him and his wife up.

The prisons in Egypt are full of people who supported the protests against the government. For example, you can find there several well-known revolutionary leaders – for example, Mahienour El-Masry. The latter led protests against police violence four years ago which set the stage for the 2011 uprising. Another key figure was Ahmed Maher, the co-founder of the April youth movement and the person who inspired anti-Mubarak demonstrations.

It is known that Abd El Fattah was jailed under Mubarak, then under the military junta which succeeded him, and then under Adly Mansour, the interim president installed following the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi a year ago. Under Morsi, the blogger managed to escape prison, but was placed under investigation. Now it seems that the authorities are serious about putting him in jail forever.