This afternoon, UK Independence Party Euro MP Derek Clark, intervening in the Euro-Mediterranean debate in the European Parliament, brought up the case of Kareem Amer’s imprisonment: Free Speech requires action.

(Thanks to Gawain Towler of the Independence/Democracy Group in the European Parliament).

UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY
& ID Group in the European Parliament
Reg. Office: 2 Queen Anne’s Gate, London SW1H 9AA
Tel. 0207-222-9365 Fax 0207-222-2183

For immediate release 14th March 2007

Free Speech requires action

Speaking in Strasbourg today, the UK Independence Party Euro MP, Derek Clark called for the plight of imprisoned Egyptian blogger to be recognized when the EU considered free trade with the Euro Med countries of North Africa.

He brought attention to the imprisonment of the blogger when, describing himself as a heretic he said, “I hope not to suffer the fate of Kareem Amer, sentenced to 4 years jail in Egypt for criticising both his government and the violent radicals in his country“.

Mr. Clark affirmed his belief in freedom of speech and questioned whether taxpayer’s money should be going to countries such as Egypt. He said, “Only last week the EU signed an Action Plan with Egypt, but made no demands that that country in which it states, ‘Support Egyptian government efforts to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in line with international conventions to which Egypt is party’. This pure hypocrisy in the light of the continued imprisonment of Kareem whose only offence is exercise his right to freedom of speech“.

Notes for editors
The Free Kareem Campaign can be found here,
http://www.freekareem.org/about/
The EU Egypt Action Plan can be found here
http://www.eu-delegation.org.eg/en/eu_and_country/association.htm

For More Information
Derek Clark +44 (0) 766064
Gawain Towler 0032 2496 510 711

You can read the entire Action Plan here: EU/Egypt ENP Action Plan endorsed.