Interesting how Al Jazeera.net decided to report the sentencing of the Egyptian blogger to four years in jail.
Despite the title it gives to the story, "Egyptian Blogger Sentenced to Jail," the article quickly shifts from the blogger to an Imam who was in an Egyptian jail for 4 years after being kidnapped by CIA agents from Italy. An Egyptian court eventually deemed the arrest of the Imam "unfounded."
The two cases are legally unrelated.
Yet, Al Jazeera.net wants to relate them on the ground that both are examples of threats to freedom of speech.
That's a useful strategy to keep the focus on the political regime, which goes after anyone that speaks out against it, regardless of their political or religious orientation. It also helps expose the hypocrisy of the Azhar.
But there are differences.
The Imam wasn't kidnapped and arrested because he spoke out against Mubarak and "Islam." The blogger was.
The Imam will receive the sympathy of the Arab street as a victim of the CIA and the Mubarak regime.
The blogger is being reviled by the Arab street although he's a victim of the Mubarak regime, but not of the CIA. CIA trumps Mubarak any day of the week because somehow when we are jailed, tortured and raped by our own it is not supposed to hurt as much as when "they" do it to us!!! As the Arabic saying puts it: "Darb el 7abeeb zbeeb" (how sweet the blows of the beloved!) (watch the Aziz Abdo video clip for illustration).
The Imam is not seen as an enemy of Islam and no one is asking that he receives more jail time. Many are seeing the blogger as an enemy of Islam and wouldn't care if he were executed.
The Imam's father didn't disown him. The blogger's father disowned him.
The Imam's kidnappers were tried. The bloggers' prosecutors are being praised for defending nation and religion.
The Imam is worried he will be arrested for speaking to reporters; the blogger was just sentenced to 4 years for speaking on his blog.
The Imam got half the article although it wasn't his day in court. The blogger was grudged a full article totally to himself though it was the day he was put away.
Are the people of Al Jazeera afraid of looking like they're supporting someone found guilty of speaking against "Islam" and therefore feel the need to hide behind an Imam?
I'm just not happy with the report. I feel they don't fully grasp the importance of the sentence. Maybe they don't like bloggers after all.
8 comments:
I think the Iman is a victim as much as the bloger, but you have a right to be disappointed by the Al Jazeera article because they do not expose the unjustice of the bloggers case.
I think that you point out the fact that the charge against the bloger includes that of insulting Islam to confuse the issue and gain some public support for his incarceration.
I am hesitant to assume things about the arab street. The fact is in Egypt reformers, liberals, lefties, and islamists are all put into jail because they oppose Mubarak.
I think these groups need to work together against this dictator.
lena,
I should specify that my conclusion about the Arab street is based on readers' comments on Al Arabeya, Al Quds al Arabi and some blogs.
At the same time while I can see demonstrations in the steets against someone who insults Islam, I find it hard to imagine any such demonstrations to support a blogger who is accused of insulting Islam.
The Egyptian Blogers organize protests and get put into jail when they get get caught. In jail they are tortured together with the islamist activists.
I think the democracy movement in Egypt is small now, but represents an exciting developement including the bloggers of rebuilding the left. I do not believe that the arab street in Egypt supports mubarak, maybe Mubarak has been able to give confidence to his supporters. But this support for mubarak is weak at best because there is complete hypocracy in the idea that Mubarak defends Islam when he jails the Islamist.
What props up Mubarak is the US and the systematic state repression set up by the ruling elite not the Arab street. The arab masses could at any moment rise up against their poverty and suppression and that is why Mubarak has to pull all the tricks from his bag. Ultimately it is a losing battle..
In the past the Arab street created a liberation movement to kick out the British Occupiers and I think they can do it again and they can do it better then before.
I think Al Jazeera has not defended the bloger not to piss off Mubarak, in fear of isolating themselves even farther...
my point is simple:
I defend the Imam, but would the Imam defend me?
The Arab street can rise and get rid of all the dictators ruling it. Yet, this does not guarantee that this automatically bring about freedom of speech to everybody. It's not just going to happen; we need to fight for it NOW.
Right,
That is why it is urgent to build an alternative because as you point out an Islamist movement can not bring justice to everyone. Rebuilding the left needs to be done, but that does not mean we do not speak out against the torture and suppression of the Islamists in opposition to Mubarak.
About 1400 years ago men asked the profit Mohammad (PBUH) how long tell judgment day hew pointed to the deference in height between his index and middle fingers.
Be as politically correct as you may just remember what was told, Amal is very formidable debater she will never expose herself all out so it will be very difficult to debate any thing with her on blogg, kudos to you Amal. Lena: nothing wrong of being on the non popular side welcome to my world.
AT
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