[E-rundbrief] Info 1040 - WRI: Imprisoned Egypt pacifist on hungerstrike

Di Aug 30 13:50:26 CEST 2011

E-Rundbrief - Info 1040 - War Resisters International/ WRI (GB): 
EGYPT: Imprisoned pacifist blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad on hunger and 
thirst strike.

Bad Ischl, 30.8.2011

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War Resisters' International, London, 30 August 2011

EGYPT: Imprisoned pacifist blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad on hunger and 
thirst strike

Maikel Nabil Sanad, the imprisoned pacifist blogger and conscientious 
objector sentenced to three years' imprisonment for "insulting the 
military" on 10 April 2011 (see co-alert, 11 April 2011), began a 
hunger strike in protest against his continued imprisonment on 
Tuesday, 23 August 2011 (see co-alert, 24 August 2011). He was moved 
to solitary confinement on 25 August 2011, but the prison authorities 
refuse to transfer him to the prison hospital (see co-alert, 25 August 
2011). Since today, 30 August, he is also refusing to drink, therefore 
escalating the hunger strike to a hunger and thirst strike.

In a worrying development, he also refused a visit by friends and 
family today.

In a statement on his hunger strike, he declared that his hunger 
strike is in protest against the severe injustice he is subjected to, 
namely his unfair trial in front of a military court, the slow 
processing of his appeal, and the difference of treatment in the cases 
of Asmaa Mahfouz and Louie Nagati (who had their charges dropped on 18 
August 2011) and in his case.

He demanded that the injustice he is suffering is being investigated 
by the prosecutor, and also requested to be transferred to the prison 
hospital. He ends his statement: "I will no longer accept injustice, 
and if my death is the price I have to pay to put an end to this 
injustice by the military, I am prepared to pay it."

Maikel Nabil Sanad's sentence is based on article 184 of the Egyptian 
penal code, which criminalizes "insulting the People’s Assembly, the 
Shura Council or any State Authority, or the Army or the Courts", and 
article 102, "spreading false information".

Egypt is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political 
Rights, which guarantees the right to a fair trial in article 14, and 
freedom of opinion and expression in article 19. The interim 
constitution of Egypt also guarantees the right to freedom of 
expression, and the freedom of the press.

In his writings, Maikel Nabil Sanad made use of his right to freedom 
of opinion and expression. This includes his right to criticise the 
role of the military during and after the revolution. On 21 July 2011, 
the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations passed a new General 
Comment 34 on the right to freedom of opinion and expression. It 
writes: "States parties should not prohibit criticism of institutions, 
such as the army or the administration." (see 
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/GC34.pdf). The 
sentencing and imprisonment of Maikel Nabil Sanad is in clear 
violation of the interpretation of article 19 ICCPR, as shown in 
General Comment 34.

Human Rights Watch reports that military courts are currently trying 
numerous protesters. In an case from 15 August 2011, six protesters 
faced charges of "insulting the military" before a military tribunal 
for chanting "antagonistic" slogans about Field Marshal Mohamed 
Hussein Tantawi, the de facto ruler of the country, in addition to 
charges of assaulting a police officer. The military court sentenced 
Hassan Bahgat to six months in prison in another case, 3779/2011, for 
insulting the military in Tahrir square on 6 August 2011.

War Resisters' International is extremely concerned about Maikel Nabil 
Sanad's health. He is presently refusing to eat, but is taking water 
and medicine for his heart condition. However, should there be no 
response from the authorities, he will escalate his hunger strike and 
first also refuse to take water, and as a final escalation refuse to 
take his medication. Already now, prisoners who have been in contact 
with him report that his health is poor, and deteriorating.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of support to Maikel 
Nabil Sanad:
Maikel Nabil Sanad
El-Marg prison
El-Kalag
El-Khanka
Qalyubeya
Egypt

War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the 
Egyptian authorities.

Director of Military Judiciary
Major-General Ahmed Abd Allah
Military Judicial Department
Cairo, Egypt
Fax: +202 2 402 4468 / +202 2 411 3452 (ask for fax)

Military General Attorney
Major-General Medhat Radwan
Military Judicial Department
Cairo, Egypt
+202 2 412 0980 (ask for fax)

Minister of Defence
His Excellency Muhammad Tantawi
Ministry of Defence
Cairo, Egypt
mmc at afmic.gov.eg ; mod at afmic.gov.eg
Fax: +20 2 2 5748 822

A protest email can be sent at http://wri-irg.org/node/13611.

War Resisters' International calls on the Egyptian authorities to 
respond to Maikel Nabil Sanad's hunger strike by releasing him 
immediately. As an interim measure, we call on the authorities to 
transfer Maikel Nabil Sanad to the prison hospital, where he can 
receive medical care if and when needed as a consequence of his hunger 
strike.

War Resisters' International, Connection e.V., and DFG-VK Hesse are 
also calling for an international day of action in support of Maikel 
Nabil Sanad on 9 September 2011. More information is available at 
http://wri-irg.org/campaigns/supportmaikelnabil .

Andreas Speck
War Resisters' International

Archives of co-alert can be found at http://wri-irg.org/news/alerts

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