Philip Rizk’s release — International Herald Tribune
From the IHT:
German-Egyptian blogger freed in Cairo
The Associated Press
Published: February 11, 2009CAIRO: Egyptian authorities released a 26-year-old German-Egyptian blogger on Wednesday, five days after he was arrested after a march supporting Gaza, but three other pro-Palestinian activists were sentenced to prison by military courts.
Egypt is increasingly sensitive to criticism about its response to Israel’s Gaza offensive and appears to be cracking down on a new generation of activists.
The arrests over Gaza are the latest chapter in what has been a wider government crackdown on bloggers and independent activists over the past year.
With most traditional avenues of political dissent closed, bloggers have gained prominence in recent years, exposing government corruption and police brutality. Security agencies have struck back, and more than half a dozen are either in jail or out on bail with cases pending. - Read on
