[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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