Global Voices Online

Stories

June 22nd, 2006

Alaa Is Free

Elijah Zarwan · 12:27 · Middle East & North Africa

Award-winning Egyptian blogger and activist Alaa Seif al-Islam Abd al-Fattah walked out of Omraniya police station late this afternoon after spending 46 days in detention for attending a May 7 protest. I spoke with him soon after his release and he sounded fine—exhausted after a terrible night in the police ... 8 comments · read »

June 17th, 2006

Truth and Consequences

Elijah Zarwan · 00:47 · Middle East & North Africa

The first thing that struck me as I passed by the Press Syndicate earlier this week to eavesdrop on a meeting of Egyptian bloggers was the Central Security trucks parked around the corner. The steel police barriers around the sidewalk and steps of the Syndicate were lightly manned by a ... 2 comments · read »

May 12th, 2006

Egypt: Blogging Behind Bars

Elijah Zarwan · 14:50 · Middle East & North Africa

On May 10, Alaa Ahmed Seif al-Islam, the award-winning blogger detained three days earlier for participating in peaceful protests in Cairo, became one of the first people to blog from prison. "Today it hit me," Alaa began his post, "I am really in prison. I'm not sure how I ... 8 comments · read »

May 8th, 2006

Kifaya Under Arrest

Elijah Zarwan · 18:19 · Middle East & North Africa

There's a gentle spring breeze blowing in Brooklyn, and the sounds of kids playing basketball are coming in through the window from the schoolyard next door. It's early evening, at the end of a sunny weekend. Across the street, neighbors are singing intentionally off-key to an earnest version of "Wimoweh." ... 2 comments · read »