We have received notifications from over 400 individuals worldwide who have written letters and postcards in support of Kareem as a response to our latest letter campaign. We are waiting to hear back from Kareem on whether or not he received at least the majority of these letters.

Do know that Kareem is extremely appreciative of these efforts, thanks so much for taking the time to do this, and for those of you who haven’t had the chance yet, it’s never too late. Please send a letter and encourage your friends to do the same.

We are shocked and disturbed by the fact that Kareem is still in prison, and will never give up fighting for his freedom and human rights. Thank you for your support!

We have written about the latest abuses Kareem has been facing from prison guards and security officials, and believe it implies an urgent call for action: We must flood the jail with mail to Kareem. If they want to rip up his letters, let them. We’ll just keep sending more!

Flood the Jail with Mail

A few months ago the campaign was a success, with many letters being sent to Kareem on a daily basis for an entire month, but this is needed now more than ever! Kareem has expressed his support for this initiative. He needs the worldwide support and recognition for his own safety. Please consider taking part in this campaign, which you can read about here.

Here is Kareem’s address in prison:

Prisoner Abdul Kareem Nabil Suleiman
Borg Al-Arab Prison
Section 10, Room 22
Alexandria
The Arab Republic of Egypt

You must include the Arabic text in the letter as well:

Sending him messages and postcards by snail-mail is very important, not only because it will assuage his pains, but to also tell the government and prison that we are still watching.

This is not a requirement – but we suggest that you laminate your letters/cards for them not to be ripped up.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information released a statement today noting further deplorable violations of Kareem’s rights. Security officers of the Borj al Arab prison broke into his prison cell and took away his letters of support, which Kareem has been receiving from around the world.

They also confiscated his notebook, where he keeps his personal thoughts in an attempt to cope with his unjust imprisonment. They have done this for no apparent reason than to abuse a free speech advocate who remains imprisoned since November 6, 2006 merely for his blog posts.

This is not the first time it has happened. In August 2008, some of Kareem’s books and other reading materials were arbitrarily confiscated.

Kareem has completed more than 3/4 of his sentence, however he is still not being released.

Cinzia Polese, who is volunteering as country coordinator for Egypt at Amnesty UK, alerted us that her group is running a campaign to raise further awareness on Kareem. They’re requesting supporters to send a picture of themselves holding a keyboard, representing freedom of speech, with posters that say “Free Kareem” on it. Below are some photos:

Update: More photos!

Latest coverage of Kareem: Democratic Forces Face Tough Time in Egypt’s Coming Election.

Egypt Waging War on Bloggers:

And, referring to a blogger who was sentenced to a four-year jail sentence for calling President Hosni Mubarak a “symbol of dictatorship,” and Al-Azhar University a “university of terror,” prosecutor Mohammed Dawud warned, “If we let people like him off without punishment, a wildfire will blaze up that consumes everything in its path.” He added, “Exactly that is what civil rights activists dream of, many of whom pin their hopes on a grass-roots digital democratization initiated by the country’s bloggers.”

Harassment of bloggers has increased year by year since then. For example:

In 2007, blogger Kareem Amer, an Amnesty International prisoner of conscience, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for criticizing President Hosni Mubarak and Egypt’s al-Azhar religious authorities on his blog.

Below is a list of news coverage mentioning Kareem throughout the year 2010 thus far:

Egypt blogger military trial criticised

Virtually, Some Real Freedom

Egypt: Pledge Serious Human Rights Reform

Blogs mark the first 10 years

Egypt and Libya: A Year of Serious Abuses

It’s official: Blogging is a dangerous business

A barometer of religious intolerance

Foreign languages:

Egypte: Le blogueur “Kareem Amer” condamné à quatre ans de prison

Kolejny bloger przed egipskim sądem

Vários países estão a prender jornalistas on-line e autores de blogues

Arabiske blogs giver unge stemme

Dans le même pays

Egitto conferma la lotta ai blogger

Blogger Mesir Disidang di Mahkamah Militer

El Periódico del Pueblo Oriental

IUF Berlin, who also organized two previous rallies in Germany (rally 2; rally 1 pictures, rally 1 video), assisted us once again with an “undercover” campaign for Kareem.

A grand ball was held at the Interconti Berlin, under the patronage of the Egyptian Ambassador to Germany, Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy. Members of the IUF managed to get into the lobby of the event location and handed out several hundred buttons to the ball guests who entered the hotel. The buttons were pinned to dresses and jackets and read in Arabic: “We are all with Kareem Amer”. In the ballroom, the Egyptian Ambassador along with embassy staff and Egyptian businessmen were able to read this friendly reminder that Kareem is not forgotten by his friends and supporters.

A petition was handed to a guest who entered the ballroom, which could only be accessed by invited guests, with the request to deliver the petition to the Ambassador.

Petition.

Here are the pictures, a video will also be added later.

The entrance to the Interconti Hotel, note the pyramidal shape of the lobby....

Approaching the entrance to the hotel

Entering the lobby

In the lobby

Successfully handing out the first buttons to the guests

Slightly hesitant in pointing out the best spot to pin on the button

The pins

Pin sample

The main ball-room

The dance

A first newspaper report after the ball

A video will be available later!

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have issued the following press release on Kareem:

Reporters Without Borders deplores the way the authorities continue to persecute Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman, a jailed blogger better known by the pen-name of Kareem Amer. For the third time in a row, one of his lawyers has been denied the right to visit him in Borg Al Arab prison although he had the required permits from the Alexandria attorney-general’s office.

The lawyer, Ahmed Omar, one of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information’s lawyer (ANHRI), was told on arrival at the prison on 10 January that the security services had imposed a permanent ban on visits for the blogger. The ANHRI filed a complaint with the Cairo prosecutor’s office in May 2009 after the first refusal, but no investigation was carried out.

Reporters Without Borders is very worried about the conditions in which Kareem Amer is being held and his physical and psychological health. Imprisoned since November 2006, he has had no contact with the outside world for the past eight months. Reporters Without Borders intends to request permission to visit him as soon as possible.

On 22 December, a court rejected a request for a retrial for Kareem Amer. Although all further possibilities of appeal have been exhausted, a petition for his release has been filed with an administrative court.

This is not the first time Kareem is forbidden visits by either his lawyers, journalists or his own friends.

Meklit Hadero, an Ethiopian-born musician and 2009 TEDGlobal Fellow, sings a very moving song in support of Kareem:

Thank you so much Meklit! If you’re on Twitter, please take a moment to send a personal shout out to Meklit @meklithadero for joining the struggle to free Kareem Amer.

Kareem’s final appeal today was rejected, and Kareem will be forced to remain in prison until November 2010. That is another 1 full year for Kareem in prison where he risks further torture.

Please do not remain silent. Express your outrage. Help out!

Write to Kareem and let him know he’s not alone in this struggle for free speech and justice.

Please check back in a few days where we will notify you on planned rallies and events.

Kareem must be freed.

Egyptian blogger and Kareem’s friend Wa7damasrya received a letter from Kareem noting that he feels lonely as he hasn’t received a letter from anyone in a while. He feels very sad because a lot of prisoners were set free after serving 3/4 of their sentence, except for him. All the other prisoners who were released after 3/4 of their sentence were originally there for criminal behavior that includes theft, violence, and drug trafficking. Kareem wonders how this regime pardoned people who committed actual crimes and did not pardon him despite the fact that his only “crime” was expressing his opinions online.

He is waiting for the decision on the 22nd of December, and he still has hope that he may get released after this upcoming and final appeal. He wishes to be free and that people don’t forget him in these days.

Kareem’s lawyer tried to visit him, but was actually rejected from meeting Kareem twice this year even though she had a written permission to do so.

He adds that his case was presented to a State Security committee with other prisoners who completed 3/4 of their sentence, and that the state security officials who refused to release him are the same ones who are rejecting visitiors to Kareem. This is a punishment of its own merely because of Kareem’s views and published articles, rejected by the regime and extremists alike.

Please, we ask you all to write to Kareem and let him know that he’s far from alone in this struggle. Please let him know that you’ll be there for him and ready to fight back if his final appeal tomorrow is rejected.