For those interested, below is another video taken on RSF, just before the demonstration they held at the Egyptian stand during the world trade tourism fair.

The lady in the video is concerned about the lack of free speech in certain countries, namely Tunisia and Egypt, where the press is being heavily moderated. She talks about blogs being censored, focusing on Kareem Amer’s prison sentence. The other person later in the video is saying how this is so wrong, and how if they keep this up they will stop a society from thinking.

Rsf – Kareem AMER
Uploaded by petre

More videos and pictures on the demonstration at the Egyptian stand here: Reporters Without Borders, French Bloggers: Opération Kareem Amer!

Shortly after posting on Kareem’s Index on Censorship Award, we’ve been told about a surprise demonstration for Kareem, held today at Paris’ world tourism trade fair… Right in front of Egypt’s stand!

Videos, photos, and statement by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) are provided below. Along with well-known French bloggers, RSF members repeatedly chanted (in French), “Free Kareem Amer!”. The spokesman in the videos says (paraphrase): “There is this postcard image of Egypt, but beyond it are hundreds of political prisoners, as well as imprisoned and harassed journalists.” He goes on to describe Kareem’s case. He stresses that people can and should go to Egypt for tourism, but that they shouldn’t be oblivious to the larger reality. He then segues into talking about dictatorships that are tourist destinations, such as Tunisia and Cuba.

[UPDATE: RSF has its own blog tool; confidentiality of any information submitted by bloggers is guaranteed. The Coalition encourages you to sign up. The funds raised from this blog service enable RSF to help bloggers who are living under in difficult conditions... Bloggers like Kareem.]

Thanks to all those who sent this in!

Opération Kareem Amer
Uploaded by SachaQS

Photos, courtesy of Reporters Without Borders:

Statement by RSF: Reporters Without Borders and French bloggers demonstrate at Egypt’s stand for release of blogger “Kareem Amer”.

Reporters Without Borders and French bloggers demonstrate at Egypt’s stand for release of blogger “Kareem Amer”

Well-known bloggers living in France and Reporters Without Borders activists demonstrated in front of Egypt’s stand at the world tourism trade fair in Paris today in protest against the four-year prison sentence imposed last month on the young Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman, who signs his blogs as “Kareem Amer.”

The protestors attached “censored” computer mice to the stand (see photos), brandished photos of the detained blogger and unfurled banners that said “Egypt = Internet enemy.”

“We want to express our solidarity with Kareem and to show that French bloggers feel concerned by free speech violations, even when they take place abroad,” the bloggers said. “We also want to encourage the French blogosphere, which is one of the most dynamic in the world, to actively support this young man. We could all be in his place if we lived in Egypt.”

The bloggers taking part in the demonstration were : Gilles Klein (www.pointblog.org), Natacha Quester-Séméon (www.memoire-vive.org), Pierre Etienne Pommier (ipol.fr), Carlo Revelli (www.agoravox.fr), Hélène Legastelois (http://monblogdefille.mabulle.com), Christophe Grébert (www.monputeaux.com), Pierre Catalan (http://pierrecatalan.hautetfort.com), Cai Chongguo (http://caichongguo.blog.lemonde.fr) and Laureen Martin (http://leblogmedias.rsfblog.org/).

Suleiman (“Kareem Amer”) was convicted on 22 February of “inciting hatred of Islam” and insulting President Hosni Mubarak. Reporters Without Borders regards his four-year prison sentence as a threatening message to the entire Egyptian blogosphere, which has emerged in recent years as an effective bulwark against the government authoritarian tendencies. For more information on this case.

UPDATE: (March 21)
Al-Jazeera coverage:

UPDATE: (March 24)
For those interested, below is another video taken on RSF just before the demonstration.

The lady in the video is concerned about the lack of free speech in certain countries, namely Tunisia and Egypt, where the press is being heavily moderated. She talks about blogs being censored, focusing on Kareem Amer’s prison sentence. The other person later in the video is saying how this is so wrong, and how if they keep this up they will stop a society from thinking.

Rsf – Kareem AMER
Uploaded by petre

A manifestation in support of Kareem was held today outside the Egyptian Embassy in Stockholm. Speakers included Fredrik Malm, a member of the Swedish Parliament, and writer Johan Norberg who has met Kareem.

Along with the demonstration photos, organizer Jonas Virdalm sends a touching remark:

My only personal wish in this is that I will be able to meet Kareem one day. I hope by doing this I have made Kareem understand that there are people all around the world that want all the best for him.

Amen.

Jonas speaks in front of the Egyptian Embassy.

Swedish Parliament member Fredrik Malm demands Kareem Amer’s release.

Johan Norberg speaks to the crowd in front of the Embassy.

An Egyptian Embassy employee looks out at the protesting crowd. During the demonstration, Embassy employees were staring outside from their offices.

Thank you all for taking the time to rally for Kareem’s freedom.

On February 15, 2007, along with other cities worldwide, residents of Washington, D.C., marched to the Egyptian Embassy, protested Kareem’s imprisonment, and handed out flyers to people passing by. Thank you!

Pictures (with thanks to Jason):

Other Rallies Held Worldwide on Free Kareem Day:
- London
- New York City
- Paris
- Rome

Blogosfere, an Italian network of 150 blogs of professional information, has created an excellent video of still photos taken during the February 15 rallies in Rome and London:

A couple of pictures from Rome with thanks to Alberto:

Among those present in the rally were Italian politician Daniele Capezzone and Senator Francisco Compagna.

You can see Blogosfere’s translated posts that are dedicated to Kareem and the rally here, here, here, here, and here. Thank you for standing with fellow blogger Kareem.

Other Rallies Held Worldwide on Free Kareem Day:
- Paris
- London
- New York City
- Washington, D.C.

Much thanks to Constantino and Chris for holding a second rally on February 15th in The Big Apple (the first was on January 31st):

The NYC rally was a little smaller than last time. The weather was horrible, and the condition of the streets dreadful (piles of dirty snow everywhere, melting into a nasty, muddy slush), so no one really wanted to be out on the street that day. Still, we were able to distribute about 100 fliers with information about Kareem, and asking people to visit www.FreeKareem.org and sign the petitions.

The people at the Mission came out to get fliers from us and ask why we were there. We were just a block away from the UN, and it was right around closing time, so most of those 100 fliers went to foreign workers and diplomats. Several showed interest and thanked us for calling attention to this.

And without further delay: Pictures!

Well done, Soldiers of Truth. I salute you all.

Other Rallies Held Worldwide on Free Kareem Day:
- Paris
- London
- Rome
- Washington, D.C.

The February 15 London rally organizer, Andrew Perraut, reports on the event with positive news:

I’m happy to report that it went very well. We had fewer people than expected, but it was a good group, with representatives from LSE, Amnesty International, the Institute for Economic Affairs, and the International Policy Network. We also attracted a writer for the Index on Censorship–he tells me that they are watching Kareem’s case very closely and are considering naming his as one of the most important cases of the year. There was also a documentary filmmaker who has produced a piece on Egyptian bloggers; she hopes to have segments including our rally aired on BBC 4.

We handed out quite a few fliers and got support from some of the people passing by. Our group was directly across from the Embassy and looking into their windows, which they quickly closed. Still, people from the inside were watching us through the curtains almost constantly, and one woman from the Embassy came outside to take some of our fliers. I’ve attached some pictures of the rally for you to see.

And here are the pictures, with thanks to Andrew and Blogosfere:

UPDATE (February 20, 2007):

Blogosfere has created an excellent video of still photos taken during the February 15 rallies in Rome and London:

Other Rallies Held Worldwide on Free Kareem Day:
- Paris
- New York City
- Rome
- Washington, D.C.

Our wonderful friends in Sweden inform us that a manifestation in support for Kareem will be held on Wednesday, February 21st outside the Egyptian Embassy in Stockholm. Speakers will include a member of the Swedish Parliament, Fredrik Malm, and Johan Norberg (who has met Kareem). I encourage anyone near the area to attend.

Here are the details on the event (thanks to Johan and Jonas):

The Egyptian blogger Abdelkareem has been detained since November because he spoke his mind. On February 22nd Kareem will be the first Egyptian to stand trial for Internet-based journalism. Because of his arguments for secularism, women’s rights and free speech this 22-year old blogger faces up to 11 years in jail. More information here.

Right now several Swedish bloggers and others are preparing a protest against this attack on freedom of expression. Please help us to show support for human rights in Egypt. Mark your calendar, and if you are a blogger, please spread the word.

Meet us outside the Egyptian Embassy

Strandvägen 35, Stockholm

Wednesday, 21 February, 12.00

Speakers:

Henrik Alexandersson, blogger

Fredrik Malm, Member of Parliament

Johan Norberg, author

Organiser: Jonas Virdalm, <virdalm[at]runbox[dot]com>

Liberté Chérie, a libertarian federation of associations based in France, reported the on the success of their Paris rally on Free Kareem Day:

The manifestation for Kareem took place as expected on Thursday at noon, despite the fact [that] the Ministère de l’Intérieur was a bit reluctant at letting us approach too close to the Egyptian embassy. But the policemen were on our side, so all diplomatic vehicles in the vicinity got a “Free Kareem” leaflet for meditation.

One hundred full-size posters were stuck on the walls near the Place de l’Etoile / Arc de Triomphe (with adhesive tape on Kareem’s mouth, as a symbol). An Iranian girl and two Egyptians we met in the street even helped us distribute our leaflets!

Photos:

Merci beaucoup, Liberté Chérie!

Other Rallies Held Worldwide on Free Kareem Day:
- London
- New York City
- Rome
- Washington, D.C.

David Smith from The Observer, a United Kingdom Sunday newspaper, wrote about Kareem Amer’s case.

(Source)

Irrepressible.info, The Observer’s joint campaign with Amnesty International calling for freedom of speech online, now has the support of almost 62,000 people around the world. Attention has shifted to Egypt where, last November, Karim Amer was detained by the authorities because of political writings on his blog.

Amer will learn on Thursday whether he faces 10 years in jail, following a trial that has been condemned by human rights groups. He is the first person to be prosecuted in Egypt for online writings; observers fear this may mark a new clampdown on freedom of speech.

Amer, 22, a former student at al-Azhar University, wrote blog entries criticising Egypt’s al-Azhar religious authorities, President Mubarak and Islam. Charges against him include ’spreading information disruptive of public order and damaging to the country’s reputation’, ‘incitement to hate Islam’ and ‘defaming the President’.

His lawyer, Gamal Eid, said last week: ‘I am very pessimistic about the verdict, but I have great hope for the appeal.’

Malcolm Smart of Amnesty International said: ‘Karim Amer’s trial appears intended as a warning by the authorities to other bloggers who dare criticise the government or use their blogs to spread information considered harmful to Egypt’s reputation.’

Please support free speech for everyone by signing the Internet freedom pledge at Irrepressible.info.