And after than 24 hours of strange arrest and detention circumstances, popular social media cartoonist Islam Gawish was released without any charges or bail on Monday.
The story of Gawish's strange arrest and release started on Sunday when he was arrested from his work by security forces for the most bizarre reasons ever: For running an unlicensed website in Egypt.
Islam Gawish, a 26-years old cartoonist is popular among social media for his simple doodle comic Facebook page "Al-Warka" aka "The Paper".
It started Sunday afternoon when we found a post from Gawish's colleague and the manager of "ENN" website he works at declaring that the security forces stormed the office and arrested the 26-years old cartoon allegedly for drawing anti-Sisi and anti-regime comics !!
That alarming post was confirmed by Islam Gawish's official comics Facebook page "Al-Warka" which declared that it would suspend its activities till his release. That post was deleted later from the FB page.
For hours news websites kept sharing a strange list of accusations: managing an unlicensed website, having unlicensed software in the company, running unlicensed Facebook page, broadcasting false news.
According to my knowledge, Gawish is not the owner of ENN and he is only a graphic designer in the news site !!!
He only manages his Facebook page "Al-Warka" and this does not need any license from anyone !! He does not broadcast news but rather draws cartoons for God's Sake !!
Anyhow , hours later the ministry of interior issued an official statement announcing that after receiving a tip that ENN was back online to broadcast news without a permit, the security forces went to search the website headquarter arrested for Islam Gawish , who is responsible for graphics at ENN headquarter and the confiscation of two harddrives and a router !!
The statement also added that it turned out that Islam Gawish was running a website "Facebook page" without having license "!!" and he was running fake pirated software on his computer !! "AKA windows OS !!"
I do not know what to say !!
If the security forces arrested Gawish for owned an unlicensed Facebook page for comics than this will be even a silly joke !!!
In media statements, his lawyer Mahmoud Othman said that the security forces did not let him read the arrest warrant or know the kind of charges his client is currently facing.
Surprisingly, when Mr. Othman went to the prosecution to wait for his client, he found out that the prosecutor did not have any documents or information about Gawish's arrested.
Nevertheless, Othman said that he was being informed verbally that Islam Gawish was arrested for anti-regime comics !!
Hours later, the prosecution announced that Gawish would spend his night at the police station till National security finishes its investigations !!!
On Sunday during the prosecution's investigations with Gawish , journalists suddenly found statements in their emails from the Prosecution General that the young cartoonist would be released without any charges !!
And Islam was released but after several hours without any charges. The Young cartoonist after his release spoke on air on ONTV channel in a telephone call saying that he was officially arrested by mistake and that security forces wanted to arrest the manager of ENN but did not find him and found him instead in the office !!
He also revealed that unofficially a police officer inspected his tablet and found his political cartoons and told him that he was accused of insulting the regime ..etc. Still it was unofficial accusation.
And because the whole matter was strange , we found President El-Sisi himself speaking on the phone about Gawish with Amr Adib who asked him about the young cartoonist and his anti-regime cartoons.
" I have only heard about him yesterday , I am not angry from anyone !!" El-Sisi said and honestly I beleive that he did not know Islam Gawish before yesterday. The question is if Islam Gawish was arrested wrongfully because of unlicensed news website "ENN" , why Amr Adib and the HEAD OF THE EGYPTIAN STATE speak about his political cartoons !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To honest, I was surprised and shocked because Gawish does not criticize Sisi that much on his official Facebook Al-Warka and his doodle comics focus mainly on social issues. Yes from time to time he makes political comics making fun from the regime or Sisi like other cartoonists for example like Andeel or Ahmed Nady.
Gawish's popular Facebook page "Al-Warka" was liked by 1.5 million Sunday afternoon before Gawish's arrest but now it is growing in popularity and it is being liked 1.6 million now.
All his work and comics criticizing El-Sisi and his policies are being shared online throughout the social media whether Twitter or Facebook.
Al-Bediah news website published 43 of his political comics online already.
His name "#IslamGawish" has been trending in Egypt and Cairo whether in Arabic or English. "#Freedom_For_Islam_Gawish" has been active for several hours now.
Eight Egyptian parties and a group of Egyptian political figures issued a statement Sunday evening demanding the release of Gawish immediately and warning from the return of the police state in Egypt.
Those parties are: Constitution Party, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, The Socialist Popular alliance, The bread and freedom party, Karma Party, Misr El-Horreya Party, El-Adl Party and the Popular alliance party. In other words, the same old Pro-Democratic, Pro-25 January parties.
All this is nothing comparing the solidarity of other cartoonists in Egypt with Gawish especially the young cartoonists from January 25 revolution who decided to hit the Sisi taboo even harder and mock him in their cartoons explicitly.
In the lead comes Mohamed Andeel from Mada Misr where he made a comic about the shy president "I do not like to be drawn". Whether Sisi likes to be drawn or not , he is Andeel's Favorite theme.
Other joined Andeel and reminding the regime that it should not stand against cartoonists.
The story of Gawish's strange arrest and release started on Sunday when he was arrested from his work by security forces for the most bizarre reasons ever: For running an unlicensed website in Egypt.
Islam Gawish, a 26-years old cartoonist is popular among social media for his simple doodle comic Facebook page "Al-Warka" aka "The Paper".
 |
| Islam Gawish "FB account" |
That alarming post was confirmed by Islam Gawish's official comics Facebook page "Al-Warka" which declared that it would suspend its activities till his release. That post was deleted later from the FB page.
For hours news websites kept sharing a strange list of accusations: managing an unlicensed website, having unlicensed software in the company, running unlicensed Facebook page, broadcasting false news.
According to my knowledge, Gawish is not the owner of ENN and he is only a graphic designer in the news site !!!
He only manages his Facebook page "Al-Warka" and this does not need any license from anyone !! He does not broadcast news but rather draws cartoons for God's Sake !!
Anyhow , hours later the ministry of interior issued an official statement announcing that after receiving a tip that ENN was back online to broadcast news without a permit, the security forces went to search the website headquarter arrested for Islam Gawish , who is responsible for graphics at ENN headquarter and the confiscation of two harddrives and a router !!
The statement also added that it turned out that Islam Gawish was running a website "Facebook page" without having license "!!" and he was running fake pirated software on his computer !! "AKA windows OS !!"
I do not know what to say !!
If the security forces arrested Gawish for owned an unlicensed Facebook page for comics than this will be even a silly joke !!!
In media statements, his lawyer Mahmoud Othman said that the security forces did not let him read the arrest warrant or know the kind of charges his client is currently facing.
Surprisingly, when Mr. Othman went to the prosecution to wait for his client, he found out that the prosecutor did not have any documents or information about Gawish's arrested.
Nevertheless, Othman said that he was being informed verbally that Islam Gawish was arrested for anti-regime comics !!
Hours later, the prosecution announced that Gawish would spend his night at the police station till National security finishes its investigations !!!
On Sunday during the prosecution's investigations with Gawish , journalists suddenly found statements in their emails from the Prosecution General that the young cartoonist would be released without any charges !!
And Islam was released but after several hours without any charges. The Young cartoonist after his release spoke on air on ONTV channel in a telephone call saying that he was officially arrested by mistake and that security forces wanted to arrest the manager of ENN but did not find him and found him instead in the office !!
He also revealed that unofficially a police officer inspected his tablet and found his political cartoons and told him that he was accused of insulting the regime ..etc. Still it was unofficial accusation.
And because the whole matter was strange , we found President El-Sisi himself speaking on the phone about Gawish with Amr Adib who asked him about the young cartoonist and his anti-regime cartoons.
" I have only heard about him yesterday , I am not angry from anyone !!" El-Sisi said and honestly I beleive that he did not know Islam Gawish before yesterday. The question is if Islam Gawish was arrested wrongfully because of unlicensed news website "ENN" , why Amr Adib and the HEAD OF THE EGYPTIAN STATE speak about his political cartoons !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To honest, I was surprised and shocked because Gawish does not criticize Sisi that much on his official Facebook Al-Warka and his doodle comics focus mainly on social issues. Yes from time to time he makes political comics making fun from the regime or Sisi like other cartoonists for example like Andeel or Ahmed Nady.
Gawish's popular Facebook page "Al-Warka" was liked by 1.5 million Sunday afternoon before Gawish's arrest but now it is growing in popularity and it is being liked 1.6 million now.
All his work and comics criticizing El-Sisi and his policies are being shared online throughout the social media whether Twitter or Facebook.
Al-Bediah news website published 43 of his political comics online already.
His name "#IslamGawish" has been trending in Egypt and Cairo whether in Arabic or English. "#Freedom_For_Islam_Gawish" has been active for several hours now.
Eight Egyptian parties and a group of Egyptian political figures issued a statement Sunday evening demanding the release of Gawish immediately and warning from the return of the police state in Egypt.
Those parties are: Constitution Party, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, The Socialist Popular alliance, The bread and freedom party, Karma Party, Misr El-Horreya Party, El-Adl Party and the Popular alliance party. In other words, the same old Pro-Democratic, Pro-25 January parties.
بيان تضامن مع اسلام جاويش: أطلقوا سراح إسلام جاويش فوراالقاهرة 31 يناير 2016 - يعرب الموقعون أدناه عن استنكارهم وصدمت...
Posted by الحزب المصري الديمقراطي الاجتماعي ـ أمانة الحقوق والحريات on Sunday, January 31, 2016
In the lead comes Mohamed Andeel from Mada Misr where he made a comic about the shy president "I do not like to be drawn". Whether Sisi likes to be drawn or not , he is Andeel's Favorite theme.
Other joined Andeel and reminding the regime that it should not stand against cartoonists.
By Mohab , @mohab23apr @ganzeer #Egypt #السيسي #إسلام_جاويش #زائد_18 #كاريكاتير #cartoon pic.twitter.com/gEkEKj2xN8
— Mohab (@mohab23apr) January 31, 2016
#النظام_من_ورق #خيبه_الدوله #الحريه_لاسلام_جاويش #الحريه_للورقه
Posted by Mostafa Salem on Sunday, January 31, 2016
تضامنًا مع #اسلام_جاويش #الورقة
Posted by Cheb Makhlouf on Sunday, January 31, 2016
القبض على رسام الكاريكاتير اسلام جاويش من مقر عمله ... متضامن مع اسلام جاويش #الحرية_لاسلام_جاويش
Posted by سكتش عمرو عيسي amr eissa sketch on Sunday, January 31, 2016
I predicted with my astrology of the two men, that General Sisi would be worse for any freedoms than believe it or not, Hosni Mubarak. Actually MUCH worse. Total control freak :( From an outsider who loved Egypt.
ReplyDeleteAstrology?!
DeleteGood lord, Deb. The denizens of this blog will hold you in as much contempt as they hold an Islamophobic atheist like me, if you're not careful.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah Wabarakatuh Brothers and Sisters in Islam
Not only is the practice of astrology haram, but also visiting an astrologer and listening to his predictions, buying books on astrology or reading one's horoscope are also forbidden...
Islamic Ruling on Horoscopes, SunnahOnline.com
Jason: I'd "guess" you have at the least, either fixed star Algol, Dubhe or more likely and less damaging I suppose, your Mercury is retrograde when you were born. Mercury rx means you keep returning to the "same old same old" rumblings in your head, which, by the way, limits your spiritual growth believe it or not.
DeleteMeanwhile, I have many friends throughout Upper & Lower Egypt, which means, I have Brotherhood friendships I value because I got to know them on a one-one; they love us, we love in return.
My more liberal friends, do not think so much in a closed box such as you are doing.
Jason, - here is advice from a senior citizen. Get out more, investigate for yourself, visit Egypt, talk to people, everyday common people like yourself. You may come away shocked and gladdened and certainly (hopefully) more wiser if you do get up off your couch.
Blessings to you Jason. I hope you grow up.
(from your faux grandma) :)
الورق ورقنا
ReplyDeleteبس طلعت منهم اوت المرة دى ..عن نفسي لو حضبط له تهمه ..مثلا
ارتداء ملابس مش ماركة ومقلدة
استخدام وصلة نت
الماوس مش اصلية
شاحن الماك او الجرافيك تابلت الخاص باسلام جاويش مش اصلية وتقليد
انما فيس بوك وموقع ووندوز مش اصلي ..دى حاجات عفا عليه الزمن
نحتاج مبدعين ومبتكرين فى فبركة الاتهامات
والله افلام الكرنون واللى بيحصل فيها منطقى وعقلانى عما يحدث فى بر مصر
Should have added: Still DO love Egypt and its citizens, many of whom are my friends. :( I send love to Egypt today.
ReplyDeleteGeesh! Am relieved to hear he's free now. :) Cartoonists
ReplyDeleteNot true Jason. Thats totally untrue, there were leaders in the Muslim communities of old, who studied the stars and heavens. Always have. Learn history. Look it up. Masha-Allah, Al-Burni, and on and on. Persia, Baghdad. Learn history Jason. :)
ReplyDeleteHis extant works include:
ReplyDeleteCritical study of what India says, whether accepted by reason or refused (Arabic تحقيق ما للهند من مقولة معقولة في العقل أم مرذولة), also known as the Indica – a compendium of India's religion and philosophy
The Book of Instruction in the Elements of the Art of Astrology (Kitab al-tafhim li-awa’il sina‘at al-tanjim).
The Remaining Signs of Past Centuries (Arabic الآثار الباقية عن القرون الخالية) – a comparative study of calendars of different cultures and civilizations, interlaced with mathematical, astronomical, and historical information.
The Mas'udi Canon (Persian قانون مسعودي) – an extensive encyclopedia on astronomy, geography, and engineering, named after Mas'ud, son of Mahmud of Ghazni, to whom he dedicated.
Understanding Astrology (Arabic التفهيم لصناعة التنجيم) – a question and answer style book about mathematics and astronomy, in Arabic and Persian.
(from Wikipedia, bio on Al-Biruni) a personal hero of mine.
Perhaps, all my posts can be put into one for brevity? A few references might include:
ReplyDeleteIslamonline.com
Saliba, George (1994), A History of Arabic Astronomy: Planetary Theories During the Golden Age of Islam, New York University Press, ISBN 0-8147-8023-7
Edward S. Kennedy. (1962). "Ramifications of the World Year Concept in Islamic Astrology". Ithaca 26 VIII-2 IX.
Edward S. Kennedy. (1998), Astronomy and Astrology in the Medieval Islamic World. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate.
Further references for Jason:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/avicenna-viii
Another notable Persian astrologer and astronomer was Qutb al-Din al Shirazi born in Iran, Shiraz (1236–1311). He wrote critiques of Ptolemy's Almagest and produced two prominent works on astronomy: 'The Limit of Accomplishment Concerning Knowledge of the Heavens' in 1281 and 'The Royal Present' in 1284, both of which commented upon and improved on Ptolemy's work, particularly in the field of planetary motion. Al-Shirazi was also the first person to give the correct scientific explanation for the formation of a rainbow.
Wiki:
Centres of learning in medicine and astronomy/astrology were set up in Baghdad and Damascus, and the Caliph Al-Mansur of Baghdad established a major observatory and library in the city, making it the world's astronomical centre. During this time knowledge of astronomy was greatly increased, and the astrolabe was invented by Al Fazari. Many modern star names are derived from their Arabic and Persian names. It's important to note that even the word star is Persian word often used as first name for girls pronounced in Persian Setareh.
Albumasur or Abu Ma'shar (805 - 885) was one of the most influential Islamic astrologers. His treatise Introductorium in Astronomiam (Kitab al-Mudkhal al-Kabīr) spoke of how '"only by observing the great diversity of planetary motions can we comprehend the unnumbered varieties of change in this world".[3] The Introductorium was one of the first books to find its way in translation through Spain and into Europe in the Middle Ages, and was highly influential in the revival of astrology and astronomy there.
Another notable Persian astrologer and astronomer was Qutb al-Din al Shirazi born in Iran, Shiraz (1236–1311). He wrote critiques of Ptolemy's Almagest and produced two prominent works on astronomy: 'The Limit of Accomplishment Concerning Knowledge of the Heavens' in 1281 and 'The Royal Present' in 1284, both of which commented upon and improved on Ptolemy's work, particularly in the field of planetary motion. Al-Shirazi was also the first person to give the correct scientific explanation for the formation of a rainbow.
Ulugh Beyg was a fifteenth-century Timurid Sultan and also a mathematician and astronomer. He built an observatory in 1428 and produced the first original star map since Ptolemy, which corrected the position of many stars and included many new ones
And by the way Jason, I am not an athiest in that sense of the word. I believe in ONE God,one FORCE be it ALLAH, or whatever you wish to name him, if you find that need, PBUH ...
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking me. :)
Jason: Note the date this great mind lived: Albumasur or Abu Ma'shar (805 - 885) was one of the most influential Islamic astrologers. His treatise Introductorium in Astronomiam (Kitab al-Mudkhal al-Kabīr) spoke of how '"only by observing the great diversity of planetary motions can we comprehend the unnumbered varieties of change in this world".[3] The Introductorium was one of the first books to find its way in translation through Spain and into Europe in the Middle Ages, and was highly influential in the revival of astrology and astronomy there.
ReplyDeleteDeb, you have made me your fan!
ReplyDeleteOMG, I've been schooled.
:O
Delighted Jason, and know too that even in my late 60s, I learn something new everyday I'm alive. :)
ReplyDeleteموضوع اكثر من رائع
ReplyDeleteادعوا لكم بالنجاح و التوفيق ان شاء الله