EGYPTIAN ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS ARRESTED AND TORTURED

At least 13 Egyptian activists against the war on Iraq have been arrested. Some, and perhaps all, are being tortured. We have received a plea for solidarity from a broad range of anti-war and human rights groups in Egypt, asking us to protest to the Egyptian embassy in each of our countries, and to the Egyptian government.

For further information, or to register support, contact Jonathan Neale of Globalise Resistance at findjonathan@hotmail.com, or by phone on 44 (0)7986-220641. The phone number of the Egyptian embassy in London is 0207-499-2401. Speed is of the essence.

The appeal from Egypt reads in part :

"On the 18th of January State Security Police arrested 11 activists participating in an anti-war demonstration in Cairo. In the dawn of the 8thof February they arrested and issued an order of detention for Ibrahim El Sahari, Journalist at El Alam El Yom, founding member of Center for Socialist Studies and prominent activist in the Egyptian antiwar movement. On 9 Feb, at 2 p.m., they arrested another antiwar activist, Sabri El Sammak, director of production at Aflam Misr El Alameya, the production company of Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine.

"A vicious war is about to hit the region causing a damage whose proportions no one can fully predict. It is the people of the region who are going to pay for this war. In those black moments of history the least the peoples of the world can do, and the Egyptian people are no exception, is to raise their voices against that war and the interests it serves.

"We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues and to stop the harassment of the Egyptian solidarity movements, which are exercising their legitimate right in collective peaceful _expression, a fact supported by the recent court order which rejected the government’s decision to ban the organization of peaceful demonstrations protesting war against Iraq.

"Please protest to :

President Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt

Telex : 93794 WAZRA UN

Telegram : President of the Republic, Cairo, Egypt

Fax : + 202 390 1998

E-mail : webmaster@presidency.gov.eg

And to General Habib al-’Adeli, Ministry of the Interior

Telegram : Minister Interior, Cairo, Egypt

Fax : + 202 579 2031

E-mail : moi@idsc.gov.eg

And to diplomatic representatives of Egypt accredited to your country."

The appeal is signed by :

– The Egyptian Popular Committee in Solidarity with the Intifada

– The Egyptian Popular Committee against the aggression against Iraq and in Solidarity with Palestine

– The Egyptian Group Against Globalization (AGEG)

– The General Egyptian Committee for Boycott

– The Egyptian Social Democratic Center

– Center for Trade Union and Workers’ Services

– Center for Socialist Studies

– Justice Center for Political and Social Studies

– El Nadim Center for victims of Violence

– Human Rights Center for Prisoners

– Hisham Mubarak Law Center

– Center for Arab World Media (Sa’ed)

– The National Committee for Prisoners of Conscience and Freedom of Expression