EGYPTIAN POLICE ARREST AL-AHRAM WEEKLY WEBMASTER FOR
POSTING A POEM ONLINE
by Amira Howeidy, Al-Ahram Weekly web editor, an 10:17am Tue Nov 27
'01
phone: +358-50-3511189
pvishnevsk@hotmail.com
Al-Ahram Weekly's webmaster, Shohdy Naguib was arrested in the early hours of
Thursday November 22 from his home in Sayeda Zeinab. Security forces raided his
house at dawn, confiscated his computer...
It was waiting to happen; the first Web prisoner of conscience!
EGYPTIAN POLICE ARREST AL-AHRAM WEEKLY WEBMASTER FOR POSTING A POEM ONLINE
Cairo, November 22, 2001
Al-Ahram Weekly's webmaster, Shohdy Naguib was arrested in the early hours of
Thursday November 22 from his home in Sayeda Zeinab. Security forces raided his
house at dawn, confiscated his computer and took him to Al-Sayeda Zeinab police
station. Shohdy called me from his cellular at 5:30 PM to notify me of what
happened and according to him, he's accused of posting a poem, online, by his
late father Naguib Surur, the renowned poet, playwright, actor and controversial
figure.
The poem is titled Kuss Ummiyat. It
was never published in print not only because of its shock-poetry nature, but
also because of its strong and extremely harsh criticism of those Surur held
responsible for the 1967 defeat. Its not obscene poetry, nor is it a vulgar
statement by the poet, rather a unique expression of the man's sense of the
defeat. Its not forced upon web surfers, nor is it being promoted. Its simply
posted on a website and made available for those who wish to read it with their
own free will.
Shohdy's website, wadada.net, which is hosted in the US and not Egypt, devotes
part of its web pages to his father's work. The site and Surur's work have been
online for the past three or four years at least. Posting material such as the
Ummiyat does not violate Egyptian law. Actually, there is no law that controls
or organises Internet usage in Egypt.
However, some members of the Egyptian security apparatus decided to use the
powers of this very powerful institution and arrest Shohdy for something that
does not even exist in Egyptian Law. And for some absurd reason, they referred
the matter to the Adab police whose mandate is related to unethical behaviour
such as prostitution and the likes.
When Shohdy called me he was assured they will release him on bail tonight. But
we were informed that they will keep him for the night and refer him to another
higher security body tomorrow, Friday the 23rd of November.We do not know when
they will release him.
The site is still there and arresting Shohdy did not make it disappear from
cyberspace. The arrest only sent yet another terrorizing message across.
It is ironic though that Egypt likes to project a secular, tolerant image of
itself, yet it can not tolerate even the slightest form of freedom of
expression: a poem in cyber space. Similarly, a backward and ignorant lot which
calls itself the Taliban, had very little tolerance for anything it viewed
remotely offensive to its fanatical understanding of morals, ethics and Islamic
religion. Its obvious that many in Egypt's security apparatus share their views.
And they will continue to violate the law and the constitution and impose their
views on us unless we fight for the democratic principles we aspire.
Shohdy Naguib has been Al-Ahram Weekly's efficient and talented webmaster since
1998.
His own website is: http://www.wadada.net
This message is to inform and gather support. Please distribute.
Amira Howeidy
Al-Ahram Weekly web editor, and staff member
www.wadada.net