The 17th of June marks Kareem’s 23rd birthday.

Here are the list of things that we want him to get for his birthday.

1. Clothes (between medium and large – Kareem is around 5’6 or 5’7 tall.)

2. Writing materials

3. Books (be careful with your selection, and remember that prison guards will see it before Kareem does. Therefore it’s very important to select something that will not trouble him.)

4. Food / sweets

5. Blanket

6. Postcards and birthday cards

7. Letters!

Please send any of the above to the address posted here.

Send an eCard and spread the word!

We would like to remind everyone that a few days ago we changed Kareem’s prison address on our “write to Kareem!” page.

Here’s the new mailing address if you wish to send a letter:

Arabic (must be included!)

عبدا لكريم نبيل سليمان
سجن برج العرب
الإسكندرية
عنبر 24 – غرفة 10
جمهورية مصر العربية

Jpeg version (for those whose computers don’t support Arabic):

English

Alexandria
Borg Al-Arab Prison
Room 10 Section 24
Prisoner Abdul Kareem Nabil Suleiman
The Arab Republic of Egypt

Please consider writing Kareem a letter expressing your support. It’s very important to let him know that he is not alone in his defense of free speech. Please reward his courage by sending him a letter to lift his spirits up.

Note: You can compose your letters in either English or Arabic.

Earlier last week, the Free Kareem Coalition received a scanned copy of Gloria Steinem‘s letter to President Hosni Mubarak, demanding Kareem Amer’s release. Steinem is one of America’s most influential journalists and feminists, and we thank her deeply for the necessary action she took for the sake of Kareem.

Below you will find both the content of the letter and a picture of its scanned copy.

President Hosni Mubarak
c/o Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Court, NW
Washington DC 20008

May 7, 2007

Dear President Hosni Mubarak:

I have visited Egypt, worked with its women leaders, and come to believe in the sense of justice and compassion that resides in its people.

Therefore, I would like to bring an unjust and perhaps accidental decision by one judge to the level of your attention.

It is the conviction, sentencing to four years, and incarceration of Abdelkareem Nabil Soliman, a law student at Al-Azhar University, for writing his own opinions in his personal web log. For this only, with no accusation of any illegal or even challenged physical act, a judge in Alexandria convicted, sentenced and jailed Mr. Soliman.

I believe, as do many in Egypt and around the world, that a mistake has been made. Like so many others, I am concerned about the well-being of this young man, who has been held mostly in solitary confinement since November.

I appeal to you especially because his crime was writing that allegedly “insulted religions” and “defamed the President of Egypt.” Mr. Soliman wrote about what he had experienced as a lack of freedom on the campus of Al-Azhar and in Egyptian society. Yet I cannot imagine that you or the authority of your office would be threatened by the writings of a young blogger. In fact, his sentencing by the judge is far more damaging testimony to a lack of freedom than anything he wrote.

All courts make mistakes. In my country as well as in yours, one of the duties and pleasures of a chief of state is rectifying those mistakes. Therefore, I hope you will consider pardoning Mr. Soliman.

I thank you for your consideration. This letter is not one of criticism, but of faith that a mistake will be rectified.

Sincerely,
Gloria Steinem
Co-founder, Ms. Magazine
Board member, Women’s Media Center

Scanned copy [click for larger image]:

This is the Arabic translation for those who require it. Much thanks to Dalia Ziada for providing this translation [click for larger]

Download the documents in both English & Arabic.

This is the second post from Kareem, who writes about his imprisonment conditions and his aspirations for better results. Read it:

من الحجز المدنى بقسم شرطة محرم بك