Egyptian protesters demand release of detained blogger, activists

Egyptian protesters demand release of detained blogger, activists

2011-10-12 07:27:41 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAIRO (BNO NEWS) -- Dozens of Egyptian protesters on Tuesday gathered outside the Cairo Military Court to express solidarity with detained activists and protested against the ruling military council, the Al-Ahram daily newspaper reported.

Members of the "Free Maikel" group waited outside the military court in which detained blogger Maikel Nabil's sentence is being appealed. Nabil, who has been on a hunger strike for 50 days and now weighs only 44 kilograms (97 pounds), was sentenced in August to three years in jail on charges of insulting the military after publishing a blog post entitled "The people and the army were never one hand."

Activists chanted slogans against Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) as they waited outside for the verdict. They also called for the release of Ali Sultan and Khaled Saleh, two other civilians currently standing trial before military courts.

"I really don't think he'll be freed," said group member John Milad. "The authorities have been extremely stubborn in regard to Maikel's case, especially due to his opinions on Israel and the Egyptian army."

Nabil has said that he would maintain his hunger strike until his release. He also has vowed to stop drinking water as well if Tuesday's appeal trial fails to grant him his freedom, the newspaper reported.

According to reports, as many as 12,000 civilians have been hauled before military tribunals since February. Activists have been demanding that civilians only be tried by civil courts.

Last month, the Cairo-based Arabic Network for Human Rights Information noted a 'sharp decline' in freedom of opinion and expression in Egypt following the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak during a revolution earlier this year. The human rights group condemned recent measures taken by the SCAF, which was handed the power to govern Egypt after the ouster of Mubarak, such as the return of Mubarak-era emergency laws.

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