First of all there is an important update in the Ahmed Shaaban case , Youm 7 which published yesterday the MOI version has turned 180 degrees and published the other version of the story under the title “ For the second time , Ahmed Shaaban the victim of torture at Sidi Gabr police station”. The popular website published report including an interview with Mrs. Mona, his mother and I do not understand if the website has received an ok from the MOI to publish this or not !!
Almost all major newspapers in Egypt have ignored the news altogether except for the pathetic report issued by the MOI saying that Shaaban was a mobile thief and a trouble maker, the thing which contradicts with what his friends and family are saying about him from being a well mannered hard working young man.
There were reporters from major newspapers like Al Shorouk Daily who interviewed the family but unfortunately the interviews and reports have not made it yet to the readers because the orders they have got. Hopefully after Youm 7’s move other newspapers will be encouraged enough to cover the incident as they should.
Second the family is currently huge a pressure from the MOI that you can’t imagine. They are poor people and can be intimidated easily. Already they are giving mixed signals of whether they will continue in defending late Shaaban’s lost rights or they will give up. Mohamed Abdel Fatah describes the matter first hand better than me, this young man has been on the phone with them since yesterday in Alex and has been receiving mixed signals of hesitation and fear. They need our support , really if we can stand with like we have done with the Saids, it will be more than great.
Dr. Ayman Nour contacted the family and said that he will visit them to present his condolences and give them support on next Wednesday as he is currently in Nubia if I am not mistaken. MB MP Hamdi Hassan has addressed the matter in a question to the prime minister about the police brutality with young people. The Nadeem center contacted the family and has sent two representatives to offer legal help , already there are 4 lawyers offering their legal to the family aside of their lawyer.
The news of Ahmed Shaaban has made it to Al Jazeera English and also BBC News.
The mainstream media again proved its failure in this test.
هانت .. فكلما زادوا من طغيانهم فانهم يدقون مسمار أخر في نعش هذا النظام ، منذ نحو عشر سنين قال لي صديق بأن الشرارة ستكون من أحد المدن الساحلية ، ولن تكون من القاهرة كما يرجح البعض ،و- من مجريات الأحداث يبدو أن نبوته سوف تتحقق
ReplyDeleteZ, thanks for the update, I pray their families find some peace and in these holiday I pray that God gives us all the strength and will to help those who were denied justice and for those supporting such crimes to have their punishment in life and in the after life.
ReplyDeleteOne thing will keep police pressure off, int reporting.