CAIRO: An Cairo appeal court renewed the detention of Egyptian blogger Peter Azmy Yousef's for another 15 days, on charges that the man has insulted the nation's interim ruling military council on Facebook. The young blogger stands accused of criticizing the military, using “foul” language and inciting others to commit acts of violence against the armed forces. Police arrested Yosuf outside of Egypt's Maspero State TV building at a protest advocating for Coptic Christian rights a few weeks ago. The protest was set to demand an investigation into an incident in which local Muslim resident of Aswan set fire to a Coptic Christian church for “not having the legal papers to hold prayers.” The Aswan clash was followed by a number of mass Coptic demonstrations in Cairo and other cities. On October 9, a large protest arrived outside of the Maspero state TV building. 27 protesters died and hundreds were injured when the military clashed with protesters upon their arrival. Military armed vehicles ran over scores of them, and the others who died were shot. Egypt's ruling military council denied any wrong doing and said the protesters attacked its force first. However, protesters and eyewitnesses, on the other hand, rejected these statements, adding that the protest was fully unarmed. The ruling military council is starting to build a grave reputation for cracking down on bloggers and activists, ushering many critics into extrajudicial military trials to punish them. Egypt's illegal military courts are notorious for swift trails, without witnesses, appeal, or legal council. Activists say over 12,000 have seen the inside of a military court during the past 8 month. Prominent blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad, who remains on a prison hunger strike, is also being held in military detention under charges of insulting the military in an April blog post. Human rights groups and activists have called for the immediate release of the blogger, stating that he, like Yousef, is a prisoner of conscience, unduly held. BM
