Asharq Alawsat (English: The Middle East) is a major pan-Arabic daily newspaper printed on four continents.

Coverage on Kareem’s case will not go away: Arab Bloggers: Living in a Virtual World Behind Prison Bars! By Diana Mukkaled. (Hat tip: Jesse.)

(Arabic version of article here.)

Excerpts:

This unprecedented sentence against the young Blogger who criticized both Egypt’s religious educational institutions (of promoting extremism), and the ruling authorities in Egypt is probably a culmination of the numerous confrontation between Bloggers and the ruling and traditional institutions in our Arab world, which in the past has resulted in arrest, imprisonment, torture and sometimes death.

[…]

Bloggers contributed to rising questions, issues and ideas that were not addressed as explicitly or as publicly in cyberspace as the case is now. Until very recently, Islamist-oriented groups took the lead in their presence and usage of the World Wide Web.

It would not be an exaggeration to praise today’s Bloggers’ active role in leading bold discussions concerning issues in politics, culture, society as well individual relations with their families and governments.

[…]

When issues of public opinion are dealt with in our region, the Arab public consciousness is often classified as collective one that suppresses individuals and is the product of inherited rather than created convictions.

However, with this new breed of Web Bloggers, we may see the creation of a new reality.

It is true that Karim Amir and others throughout the Arab world are either behind bars or are under threat of being so, but the vast space for expression allowed by the Internet is difficult to regulate and control with prison cells.

Karim’s Blog is still available for those who want to read it, and the level of solidarity towards him and other Bloggers is on the rise, which is apparent with the number of online campaigns and petitions calling for his release.

In this information age, it is hard keeping opinions behind iron bars.