Archive for
March 12th, 2007
Stories
Egypt: Blogger Kareem's Plight Continues to Grab Headlines
Once again the plight of Egyptian jailed blogger Kareem Nabeel Sulaiman grabs the headlines, along with support pledges from bloggers around the world.
An Alexandria Appeal Court today upheld Kareem's four-year prison sentence for insulting both Islam and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak on his personal blog.
Egyptian blogger Ibn Al Dunya was quick to report the development.
An appeals court in Alexandria upheld the four years sentence that Abd al Karim Nabil sulaiman(known as Kareem Amer) recieved on the 22 of February by the Muharam Beq misdemeanour's court. One of Kareem´s defence lawyers, Gamal Eid who is the head of the told the AFP news agency that:
“The verdict was not handed down on the basis of the law. It is a religious verdict similar to those of the inquisition.”
Hossam el-Hamalawy, writing in The Arabist, tells us more.
“An Alexandrian Appeals court upheld the four year prison sentence given to blogger Kareem Amer, for the crime of ‘insulting Islam and President Hosni Mubarak.'
Moreover, the court accepted a Hessba case, filed by a fundamentalist lawyer against Kareem. Hessba, as interpreted by the regime’s theologians, gives the right to any Muslim citizen to file a lawsuit or get involved as a party to a legal case, if s/he deems something as an ‘assault on Islam.' (Yes, this is happening in Mubarak’s Egypt, whose regime the Western governments like to describe as 'secularist'),,” he writes.
Writing in Arabic, Egyptian blogger A'ala Abdulfattah, claims that the original ruling was illegal because it was based on clauses which have since been amended in the law. (more…)
Are women headed the wrong way? Gender issues heat up the Bangla blogosphere on the occasion of International Women's Day
As the world celebrated the International Women's Day on the 8th of March, the Bangla blogosphere returned to a heated debate on one of its favourite topics - gender issues.
However, what was interesting was that while the rest of the world talked about empowerment, opposing violence and gendercide, the Bangla world was still grappling with women stepping out of home and their mode of dressing.
Are women doing the right thing by stepping out of the sheltered confines of their homes? Blogger Rongheen gets nostalgic about stay-at-home women. He feels that the world is deluding women with false promises of rights and freedom and as women step out to find their place under the sun, familial love is the sufferer.
Do women enjoy seeing themselves as objects of desire? If not, why do they appear (skimpily clad, more often than not) in various advertisements for consumer goods? Trivuj feels that women are easily deluded in this aspect and are perhaps missing the woods for the trees as far as fighting for their rights is concerned. According to him, Bengali women should seek freedom of thought more than freedom of attire. Blogger Shayon feels that women are offering themselves as bait for molestation by not dressing and/or behaving modestly enough when in the company of men. According to him it is not possible for a woman dressed in a burqa to get molested! Furthermore he shares the blame for the sad plight of women on both the liberals (who encourage women to flaunt their sexuality) and the conservatives (who bar women even the basic rights, ex: the Taliban regime in Afganistan).
This is not to say that bloggers did not comment on the day's celebrations. They did, and many of them were skeptical (more…)
Touring Libyan Blogs : Bring a Chaperone or Go Back Home
Libyan bloggers have been quite prolific on many topics this past week, however what easily dominated their minds this time was the ‘invisible' law regulating the Libyan females under the age of 40 from travelling abroad.
No one seems to have a concrete idea why it is being put on the agenda, and speculations abound.
Dania2004 from Our little family adventures cannot digest the news :
“My dad is a lawyer.. he would always say that Libya has the best laws regarding gender equality… and that women are privileged to live here because they will always know that they are protected by the means of law….and that they just need some knowledge and information about their rights and duties […] to go to visit my family i need my husband to take me there…and since his holiday time is different from mine.. he will have to return back for his studies , then come back again to Libya to take me back.. as if I'm a bag…or a piece of furniture” “
Egypt: Blogger Sentence Upheld
According to Free Kareem, the Alexandria Court of Appeal today upheld the four-year prison sentence against Egyptian blogger Kareem Nabeel Sulaiman.
Dalia Ziada, a human rights activist and translator based in Cairo, reports that the Alexandria Appeal Court has upheld the four-year prison sentence against Kareem Amer.
Furthermore, the judge approved a civil claim filed by the eleven lawyers who want to fine Kareem for ‘insulting Islam’.
Kareem’s lawyers will apply for the Court of Cassation (third degree).
Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman, a.k.a. Kareem Amer, is in prison because he blogged his personal opinions on the Internet.
Kareem's supporters, however, are pleading with sympathisers to help him, through applying more pressure on the Egyptian authorities for his release. (more…)
Haitian Women Talk Feminisms
This past week, we covered how Kazakhstan and its Women, the Middle East and North Africa, Russia, and South Asia blogged International Women's Day.
Here, two Haitian bloggers write about International Women's Day and the past, present and future of women's liberation.
The Haitian Feminist Movement
Roody Edme who blogs at Ailleurs vu d'ici reflects on the the Haitian feminist movement of the 1970s and 1980s, a time when “we were reaching the last quarter of the ‘century that made women' and many things were in the process of changing” (Fr).
Bush in Brazil and Ethanol: Blogs Report and Debate
“We have alcohol to give away and sell”
- ethanol molotov for yankee target - source: CMI Brasil
The quick visit of the US President George W. Bush to Brazil last week brought forth a large and diverse reaction from the local blogosphere. The protests and demonstrations on Paulista Avenue [reported by David Sasaki] were initially the most emphasised aspects of the coverage, but as we will see below, other perspectives are being presented and debated. The biofuel cooperation agreement which turned out to be the main agenda of the visit has itself influenced the mood of the online conversation, and suddenly many commenters found out interesting new threads to explore other than the usual Bush bashing. Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has once again managed to be a protagonist — even from a distance — by making his histrionic performances as available as possible in the media, but we can see a growing number of Brazilian blogs asking for a more pragmatic ideology-free approach in the foreign affairs with the US in particular and with the world in general. Lula seems to be hearing those voices as well.
No meio de tanto transtorno, como pudemos perceber pelos jornais impressos e televisivos, percebi algumas incoerências… Impressionante ver brasileiros indo às ruas queimar bonecos representando tal presidente, tacar pedras e paus em seus compatriotas (os guardas) e incitar a raiva aqui (No Brasil?) e fazer manifestações com faixa sobre as atrocidades das guerras contra o Iraque, Afeganistão e as divergências claras com nossa vizinha Venezuela… Acho que se tal presidente veio ao nosso país fazer negócios, deveríamos aplaudir e incentivar tal ação… Deveríamos deixar para gastar nosso tempo e forçar para lutar pelo nosso país, e não contra esse Presidente. Ninguém vê nos Estados Unidos ou Europa passeatas contra a Fome e o Desemprego no Brasil…Vamos cuidar do que é nosso para um dia poder pensar em ajudar alguém, ao invés de ficarmos como xiitas sem bandeira, que além que retrógrado expõem a ignorância do povo. Abraço à todos e aproveitando a visita do grindo, Open your mind!
Xiitas sem bandeira - Carlos M. Cunha Blog
Radicals with no flags - Carlos M. Cunha Blog
Links for Mon, 2007-03
Debito explains why he believes that Japan police was involved in the racist publication: GAIJIN HANZAI.
James blogs about a recent survey by Japan Health Ministry: 15% of Japanese women between the ages of 20 and 24 cut themselves.
Researchers from Hokkaido University have created artificial blood vessels using collagen derived from the skin of salmon - more from Pink Tentacle.
Joe from Multantfrog discusses about the abortion law in Japan. Its origin is related to the Eugenic Protection Act, which is to prevent the birth of progeny which are undesirable from a eugenic standpoint, while protecting the life and health of mothers.
Voice of the people has a photo essay on the International Woman's Day.
The price of uniform becomes a talking point in South Korea, Matt has a summary of the issue at stake.
Safrang says that Afghanistan does not have a free press.
KZBlog reports that Kazakhstan's government plans to adopt corporate management structures for government ministries.
The CRD/TI Armenia Election Monitor 2007 reports that campaign advertisements are going up in Yerevan despite such ads not yet being legally allowed.
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