Sharnoubi Vs. State Security Forces, Part II

Sharnoubi Vs. State Security Forces, Part II

For the second time in less than 10 days, Egyptian State Security Forces failed to arrest journalist abdel Gelil Sharnoubi, chief editor of Ikhwanonline, the MB official Arabic website. Police forces stormed the house of the Abdel Gelil Sharnoubi on Friday at 2:00AM, Cairo time, but did not find him.  Sharnoubi has just ended two days ago his sit-in inside the Journalists’ Syndicate in protest of the government ‘s attempt to arrest him the first time on March 12, 2008, as part of the crackdown against MB media personnel ahead of the local elections on April 8.


 


Sharnoubi’s plea for justice drew many journalists who fringed the Syndicate’s headquarters in Cairo last Wednesday seeking justice for Sharnoubi and other journalists who have been targeted by government for their writings critical of the regime. After negotiations, officials from the Ministry of Interior promised journalists that it would end its pursuit of Sharnoubi and resolve his case, which resulted in Sharnoubi’s decision to end his strike only to discover that the government officials did not keep their word and attempted to arrest him again this morning.


 


Abdel Gelil Sharnoubi dismissed the government attempt to arrest him again and vowed to resume his sit-in inside the Journalists’ Syndicate till his case is resolved.


Security forces have arrested Ikhwanweb chief editor, Khaled Hamza, on Feb. 20, who remains in police custody. Egyptian government often uses its powerful State Security Forces (amn el dawla) to arrest and intimdate political opponents and silence reformists who are seeking to bring democracy and end government corruption.


edited by Mariam Ali