Civil Disobedience 2.0

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:54:49 -0400
democracy, egypt-protests, irc, news, politics, umbc, usdemocrazy

Courtesy of We Are Khaled Said

The historic revolution in the Middle East continues.

Egypt, in particular, is in a fighting mood. Using tools like social media, youth-inspired groups like the “April 6th Movement” and “We Are Khaled Said” are arranging sit-ins and protests.

A leading activist, Asmaa Mahfouz, has recently come under fire from the Egyptian military for a Facebook status she posted. She was interrogated for three hours and let free after supporters paid a $3,355 bail.

The blogger and former April 6 Movement member is accused of inciting violence against the military and members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

The blogger remains resilient, however, tweeting back without fear.

If [the] judicial system does not retrieve our rights, no one should be upset if armed groups commit assassinations- there is no law to protect us.

She also stated upon her release:

There is no truth in these accusations, I was only warning the military council that the absence of justice will lead to chaos. I am not scared, I will not be silenced, and I will continue to take to the streets and criticize any wrong doing that I see.

As Al Jazeera recounts, Mahfouz is not first blogger to be detained in the last year. Maikel Nabil is another name.

In regards to the revolution, former President Mubarak is apparently ill, awaiting trial in Cairo. The judge in the case banned TV cameras in the courtroom to lower the political tensions surrounding the case.

The Egyptian military currently running the country,was first seen as a hero to the revolution in February, Now the armed forces seem to be a less friendly ally.

Egyptian youth continue the uphill battle for reform. Despite the continuous roadblocks, they aren’t backing down.