[E-rundbrief] Info 997 - Egypt pacifist CO arrested

Matthias Reichl info at begegnungszentrum.at
Di Mär 29 15:35:24 CEST 2011


E-Rundbrief - Info 997 - War Resisters International/ WRI: Egypt 
military arrests pacifist activist and conscientious objector Maikel 
Nabil Sanad.

Bad Ischl, 29.3.2011

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

================================================

London, 29 March 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Egypt military arrests pacifist activist and conscientious objector 
Maikel Nabil Sanad

War Resisters' International, the international network of pacifist 
and antimilitarist organisations with more than 80 affiliates in more 
than 40 countries, is concerned about the arrest of Egyptian pacifist 
and conscientious objector Maikel Nabil Sanad.

According to reports from his friends, Maikel Nabil Sanad was arrested 
in the night of 28 March, when he was alone at home. He managed to 
call his brother on 29 March in the morning, to inform him about his 
arrest. He also told him that he would be tried in a military court on 
the same day, and that he is being threatened with a prison sentence 
of five years, on unknown charges.

Maikel Nabil Sanad is a pacifist and a conscientious objector to 
military service. He was first arrested in November 2010 for his 
conscientious objection, but released two days later. He was then 
discharged from military service for being unfit to serve [1].
He was again arrested on 4 February 2011, during the time of the 
revolution. He was mistreated and threatened by the military, but 
released 27 hours later [2].

"This is not the first time the Egyptian military has arrested Maikel 
Nabil Sanad, nor is he the only case of an activist has been arrested 
after the revolution", says Andreas Speck, War Resisters' 
International's conscientious objection campaigning worker. "We fear 
that this time the military really wants to have a go at him, which 
means he needs all the support we can give him. His arrest and the 
fast-track trial in front of a military court are in clear violation 
of international human rights standards, especially the right to a 
fair trial. If this is the new Egypt, it does not seem to be better 
than the old one."

Maikel Nabil Sanad is a known critic of the Egyptian military. On his 
blog http://maikelnabil.com, he regularly publishes his political 
opinion, including most recently a lengthy critique of the role of the 
military during the so-called Egyptian revolution. In this document, 
he detailed the arrest and torture of activists by the military during 
and after the revolution [3].

"In a way, his arrest proof that his criticism of the role of the 
military in the revolution is very true", says Andreas Speck. "Far 
from being a free country, Egypt is presently governed directly by the 
military, which did never and does not now care for political freedom 
or human rights. The revolution might have gotten rid of Mubarak as 
figure head, but it has not - yet - achieved political freedom."

"War Resisters' International calls on the Egyptian authorities to 
immediately release Maikel Nabil Sanad and all those other activists 
arrested during and after the revolution. And we call on everyone to 
make their protest heard with letters to Egyptian embassies wherever 
they live", he adds [4].

Contact:
Andreas Speck, War Resisters' International
Tel: +44 (0)20-7278 4040
Email: info at wri-irg.org


Notes to journalists
[1] see co-alert, 14 November 2010
[2] see co-alert, 4 February 2011
[3] His study is available in English at 
http://www.maikelnabil.com/2011/03/army-and-people-wasnt-ever-one-hand.html
[4] A co-alert issued by War Resisters' International with addresses 
for letters of protest is available at http://wri-irg.org/node/12476

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Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
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fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
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