CAIRO - An Egyptian human rights group has filed a petition to military prosecutors to drop charges against an activist and blogger accused of defaming the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), as four other activists started a hunger strike in solidarity with her. "We have asked the military prosecutors to drop charges against Asmaa Mahfouz. She can be referred to the ordinary courts if there are some charges against her," read a statement by the Freedom Centre for Human Rights and Development. It added that the SCAF stressed in its 62 statements on Facebook that they didn't want to refer citizens to military prosecution. The four activists, all colleagues of Asmaa, will continue their hunger strike until she is referred to the ordinary courts. The four, three young men and a woman, have called on Chief Prosecutor Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud to take the necessary measures to protect Asmaa. "We are planning a strike outside the Cabinet's headquarters until our demand is met," said Rasha Youssri, one of the young hunger strikers. The United States expressed concern on Wednesday that blogger Asmaa, a member of April 6th Youth Movenment involved in the uprising that toppled president Hosni Mubarak, would be tried by a military court for defamation. "We are concerned about the charges against Asmaa Mahfouz," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. "The United States believes that all individuals should be allowed to peacefully exercise their right of freedom of expression. "We're also concerned by reports of other democracy activists being summoned to appear before a military tribunal," Nuland added. The newly appointed US Ambassador in Egypt is believed to have raised the issue of Asmaa with the head of the SCAF, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, according to reports by Voice of America. Nuland said the United States "strongly supports democratic transition in Egypt". “Such a transition is both positive and necessary, and real democratic change in Egypt will serve the long-term interests of Egypt, of the region, of our relationship", she stressed.
