Kareem Amer should have been released last Friday, 5th of November 2010, however he’s not released yet after 7 days past his official date of release, in addition to being beaten by a junior officer at the SSI headquarters in Alexandria last Tuesday night.

There’s a worldwide media attention, which we would like to double its effect by sending letters to whoever may concern during this crucial time, as Kareem needs our efforts more than any time else. Every bit of effort counts.

Our four-year struggle to release Kareem mounts this week, so we want to make sure that we knock every possible door. Hence, we’re calling for all the activists and bloggers out there to send 3 letters; one to the Egyptian government officials, the other to the Egyptian ambassador or consul in your country, and the third to the your local minister of foreign affairs.

Contacts of Egyptian officials and diplomats can be found here. Alternatively you can write to your local Egyptian Embassy which you’ll find their contact info here

Kareem’s life is in real danger, and the situation is horribly serious. So any kind of help counts to raise public and international media awareness.

A friend from Sweden has sent 2 letters, one to the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the other to the Egyptian Embassy in Sweden. Here is what Niklas Smith has sent to the Egyptian ambassador in the Kingdom of Sweden, as a great and a comprehensive example of what we’re calling you to do as soon as possible:

Her Excellency Samah Mohamed Sotohy Sarhan
The Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt

Egyptens ambassad
Box 14230
10440 Stockholm

cc. Carl Bildt, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Sweden

11 November 2010

Your Excellency,

Your fellow citizen Mr Abdul Kareem Nabil Suleiman was convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment as a result of his writings on the Internet. His sentence has ended and he was due to be released from Borg Al-Arab Prison in Alexandria on Friday 5 November. However, I have heard through several media reports that he has not been released. Instead he has been taken to the Alexandria headquarters of State Security Intelligence. His lawyer told Al Jazeera that Mr Suleiman has still not been released and was beaten by a junior SSI officer on Tuesday night.

Regardless of the justice of Mr Suleiman’s original sentence, he has served his time in prison. I would like to ask for him to be released immediately, as his continued imprisonment is clearly illegal. Please contact the Minister of the Interior or the responsible official to ask for Mr Suleiman’s immediate release. And please also ask that his alleged mistreatment in SSI
headquarters be independently investigated.

I look forward to hearing that Mr Suleiman has been released and can start to rebuild his life
after spending almost one sixth of it behind bars.

Yours sincerely,
Niklas Smith

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The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information reports that Kareem is being beaten at the State Security Intelligence (SSI) headquarters in Alexandria where he was held illegally for the past five days. The press release notes that Kareem has completed his full sentence and should therefore be released. A translation of the report’s highlights are below:

On the 6th of November Kareem Amer was released from the Borj Al Arab prison, where he was held for years, and his official release was meant to be processed, however he was detained by the State Security Intelligence in Alexandria where he faced beatings by a junior officer as well as an order for his continued detainment.

Gamal Eid, the director of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information, said that these practices against an unarmed prisoner is creating a climate of hatred against the police forces in general and the State Security Intelligence officials in particular. Kareem already spent years of punishment and his release is now a legal obligation, therefore why is he being beaten and held illegally?

The network stresses that holding a prisoner under these conditions despite having completed the sentence given four years ago is an injustice that people will not be willing to forget. Egypt’s ministry of interior will have to one day answer for these crimes. The ministry in question, with all its soldiers and officers, are not more powerful than a person’s right.

It’s been confirmed that Kareem remains in jail despite having completed his prison term. We will be hearing more news within the next few days as his status is still pending, according to his lawyers. Friends who have attempted to visit him also confirm that he’s still imprisoned.

Below is a picture of Kareem’s supporters expressing their solidarity. Please take a picture of your own and send it to us.

After 1460 days in prison, Kareem officially completes his prison sentence. Tomorrow will mark exactly 4 years since his imprisonment on November 6, 2006. Unfortunately, Kareem has yet to be freed.

There is an ongoing letter campaign that we urge you to participate in order to share your outrage with Egyptian officials worldwide. Contacts of officials and diplomats can be found here, alternatively you can write to your local Egyptian Embassy (info here.)

More news on Kareem and further action that you can take will soon follow.

People have been turning in letters of concern to Egyptian embassies worldwide, requesting the urgent need for Kareem’s release. Within two weeks, Kareem would have completed serving his 4 year sentence. It is not difficult to assume that the Egyptian government has no plans of actually releasing him, considering their growing record of massive human rights and free speech violations. It is therefore imperative that you take the time to write to the nearest Egyptian Embassy and letting them know that the world is watching and counting the days until Kareem is freed! Here is a sample letter below, which was sent to the Egyptian Embassy in Denmark, from Uffe Amelung Fredens:

Click for full PDF.

And a letter to Kareem:

Click for full PDF.