l'Ambassade du Égypte en Ottawa

Enjoy!
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001447

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ELA AND DRL/NESCA
NSC FOR KUMAR C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000147

SIPDIS
DRL FOR A/S POSNER
FOR NEA, NEA/ELA AND DRL/NESCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2035/01/31
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: A/S POSNER PRESSES GOE ON POLICE BRUTALITY, NGO
REGISTRATIONS

REF: CAIRO 47; 09 CAIRO 2164; 09 CAIRO 2064; 09 CAIRO 451
07 CAIRO 3214

CLASSIFIED BY: Margaret Scobey, Ambassador, State; REASON: 1.4(B),
(D)

¶1. KEY POINTS



-- (C) In meetings January 12-13, A/S Posner raised the issue of
police brutality and prison conditions with senior GOE officials.



-- (C) Interior Ministry State Security (SSIS) Director Hassan
Abdel Rahman asserted that SSIS has not abused prisoners "in the
past ten years." He claimed that the MOI played no role in the
case of Cairo resident XXXXXXXXXXXX who, according to multiple NGOs, was abused repeatedly by police in January 2009. Rahman claimed there are no problems with prison conditions.



-- (C) MFA Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights Wael
Aboulmagd said the GOE takes the issue of police brutality
seriously, and has increased the number of prosecutions against
offices for torture and abuse.



¶2. (C) Comment: Per ref B, credible human rights lawyers believe
police brutality continues to be a pervasive, daily occurrence in
GOE detention centers, and that SSIS has adapted to increased media
and blogger focus on police brutality by hiding the abuse and
pressuring victims not to bring cases. NGOs assess prison
conditions to be poor, due to overcrowding and lack of medical
care, food, clean water, and proper ventilation. Per ref E,
following a landmark 2007 sentencing of police officers for
assaulting and sodomizing a bus driver, courts have continued to
sentence officers to prison terms for brutality. End comment.



--------------------------------------------- -----

Police Brutality and Prison Conditions

--------------------------------------------- -----



¶3. (C) In a January 12 meeting with Interior Ministry State
Security Director Rahman, A/S Posner asked what measures the GOE
takes to address police brutality and difficult prison conditions,
and what the U.S. could do to help. Rahman said "in the past ten
years" there has been "no abuse of prisoners at all." He
acknowledged there may have been "some violations" against
"terrorists" in prison in the 1970's and 1980's. Posner raised the
case of XXXXXXXXXXXXX who was abused by police in XXXXXXXXXXX according to multiple NGO reports (refs C, D). (Note: The Ambassador raised this case with the Interior Minister in XXXXXXXX, per ref D. End note.) Rahman responded that when citizens do not "get what they want from the police, they become angry." He asserted that XXXXXXXXXXXXhusband is a "criminal," and beat her in the midst of a family dispute. Rahman said the MOI punishes any officer who commits violations. Rahman also said the Interior Ministry treats all prisoners well. More than 1,500 prisoners
pursue university studies, he claimed, and he noted that the
government is focused on prisoners' health and their
rehabilitation.



¶4. (C) A/S Posner also raised police brutality with MFA Deputy
Assistant Minister for Human Rights Wael Aboulmagd who responded
that the GOE takes the issue seriously. Aboulmagd said that since
2005, the Interior Ministry stopped paying fines for police
officers found to have abused detainees. He noted increased
prosecutions against police officers for torture and abuse.
Aboulmagd said the Interior Ministry is participating in human
rights training through the UN Development Program, and internal
courses. He opined that it would take a "generation of training"
before the police accepted the concept of human rights.

CAIRO 00000147 002 OF 002


---------------------------------------

U.S. Support for Civil Society

---------------------------------------



¶5. (C) Rahman asserted that the U.S. funds NGOs and human rights
organizations dominated by "communists and extremists." He claimed
these "communists" do not care about democracy, and want to weaken
the GOE in response to Egypt's movement away from the Soviet Union
and toward the U.S. in the 1970's. The Ambassador pushed back,
saying that the U.S. does not fund NGOs connected to the Muslim
Brotherhood or extremists. She noted the U.S. funds NGOs to
promote civic education, human rights training and election
monitoring. She urged SSIS to allow increased registration of
NGOs. A/S Posner urged Rahman to allow NGOs to register even if
they are critical of the GOE.



¶6. (U) A/S Posner cleared this message.
SCOBEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2029
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: RECENT GOE ACTIONS TO SUPPRESS CRITICAL OPINION

REF: A. CAIRO 1332
¶B. CAIRO 1263
¶C. CAIRO 930
¶D. CAIRO 504
¶E. CAIRO 79

Classified By: Economic-Political Minister-Counselor
Donald A. Blome for reason 1.4 (d).

¶1. KEY POINTS

-- (C) A recent series of selective GOE actions against
journalists, bloggers and even an amateur poet illustrates
the variety of methods available to the GOE to suppress
critical opinion, including an array of investigative
authorities and public and private legal actions.

-- (U) A journalist was jailed on defamation charges for the
first time in recent memory, and an amateur poet was
imprisoned for three months for allegedly defaming President
Mubarak.

-- (C) The GOE arrested three Muslim Brotherhood
(MB)-affiliated bloggers, and has repeatedly used the
Emergency Law to block a court ordered release of another
jailed blogger.

-- (C) The government is working with NDP operatives to flood
the courts with suits against political enemies, using
tactics such as fabricating assault charges against a
journalist and filing a profanity case against a novelist.

-- (C) The GOE's actions are examples of where it decides to
draw redlines in an environment featuring frequent press
articles and blogs critical of both the regime and President
Mubarak.

-- (C) These GOE actions, combined with arrests of MB
officials (septel), could be the start of an attempt to
tighten the political environment in advance of the 2010
parliamentary elections.

--------------------------------------------- ------------
Proactive Security Forces and an Unfortunate Amateur Poet
--------------------------------------------- ------------


¶2. (C) The recent case in XXXXXXXXXXXXX (XXXXXXXXXXXX miles XXXXXXXXXXXX of Cairo) of XXXXXXXXXXXXX, a local government clerk arrested, convicted and jailed for writing unpublished poetry allegedly insulting to President Mubarak, illustrates how proactive
security forces and courts can successfully move against a
civilian defended by incompetent lawyers. In late June, the
Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) issued a
statement that police in XXXXXXXXXXXXXX arrested XXXXXXXXXXXXXX in April for defaming Mubarak in a poem, and a local court subsequently sentenced him to three years in prison. According to the statement, the court set bail at LE 100,000 (15,000 USD) pending appeal, and since XXXXXXXXXXXX could not afford that sum, he remained in jail. Skilled Cairo-based lawyers from ANHRI
appealed the case, and a Minya appeals court acquitted XXXXXXXXXXX July 18; he was released July 20. XXXXXXXXXXXX might still be in jail if his original defense lawyers had not sought help.

¶3. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXXX told us he was not
aware of the case until June when lawyers from Minya
contacted him to help with the appeal. XXXXXXXXXXXXX attributed the conviction in part to the poor skills of the defense lawyers.
The case remained virtually unknown until the days leading
up to the July 18 appeal verdict when the local and
international press began reporting on it. Until mid-July,
even our contacts specializing in freedom of expression were
unaware of the case. Following XXXXXXXXXXXX's release from prison, XXXXXXXXXX appeared on Egyptian satellite television and said XXXXXXXXXXXXX would not write any more poetry critical of the government. XXXXXXXXXXXX also criticized lawyers from Minya for not defending him aggressively out of fear of the GOE's response.

--------------------------------
Arresting and Harassing Bloggers
--------------------------------

¶4. (C) In a blogging environment often critical of the
government, the GOE has selectively moved against certain
bloggers. Most recently, the GOE arrested three young,
Muslim Brotherhood (MB)-affiliated bloggers. XXXXXXXXXXXXX
confirmed for us July 27 that State Security Investigative
Services (SSIS) arrested bloggers XXXXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXXXXXX at Cairo International Airport

CAIRO 00001447 002 OF 002


following their return from a conference in XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX also confirmed that SSIS arrested a third blogger, XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, at his home on XXXXXXXXXXX, and that all three bloggers remained in detention. The MB website reported XXXXXXXXXXX that the GOE released XXXXXXXXXXXXX that day. The three bloggers have criticized trials of MB members in military courts and have voiced support for MB detainees. Our contacts have asserted that the GOE fears young, tech-savvy MB-affiliated bloggers
because of their ability to generate mass support for the
Brotherhood and organize rallies and other events via the
internet. Contacts attributed the arrest and torture of
young MB-blogger XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX in XXXXXXXXXXXX(refs D, E) to these factors. Police released XXXXXXXXXXXXX in XXXXXXXXXXXX (ref D).

¶5. (C) Prominent blogger XXXXXXXXXXXX ran afoul of the GOE by
publicly criticizing the regime in late June at a conference
in XXXXXXXXXXXXX (ref B). XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, who was held at XXXXXXXXXXXX International Airport XXXXXXXXXX for 13 hours upon his return, told us XXXXXXXXXXXXXX that police have still not returned his laptop. Hafez Abu Seada, Secretary-General of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights which is representing XXXXXXXXXXXX, told us July 22 that the police have not responded to his organization's inquiries beyond saying that they are holding
the laptop to search for "intellectual property violations."
XXXXXXXXXXXXX had told us that NDP members attending the same
conference in XXXXXXXXXXXXX reported his critical comments to the
GOE.

¶6. (C) The GOE is using the Emergency Law to reject court
orders for the release of blogger XXXXXXXXXXXXXX whom SSIS has
kept in jail since XXXXXXXXXXXXXX for allegedly insulting both
Islam and Christianity (ref C). XXXXXXXXXXXXX's lawyer XXXXXXXXXXX told us that the Interior Ministry rejected a XXXXXXXXXXXXX court order to release XXXXXXXXXXXXX, and since SSIS made the arrest under the Emergency Law, neither the courts nor attorneys have any recourse. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX commented that this is the fifth time the MOI
has refused to follow court decisions ordering XXXXXXXXXXXXX's
release.

--------------------------------------------- -
GOE Actions Against a Novelist and Journalists
--------------------------------------------- -

¶7. (C) The GOE and NDP operatives have stepped up their
efforts to file lawsuits against political opponents. Human
Rights attorney XXXXXXXXXXXXX told us in late June that he
is defending the leading independent newspaper "Al-Masry
Al-Youm" against more than 70 defamation suits, most of which
have been filed by NDP loyalists. XXXXXXXXXXXXX is also defending
XXXXXXXXXXXXX author of XXXXXXXXXXXXX against a government suit alleging that the work is profane. XXXXXXXXXXXXX said the MOI filed the profanity suit as a pretext to punish the author for the novel's criticism of the NDP and of MOI heavy-handed police tactics against
demonstrators. The profanity suit focuses on one relatively
explicit sex scene and the use of expletives. XXXXXXXXXXXXX said
such content is common in books and magazines, and almost
never incurs suits. The trial is currently adjourned until
the fall.

¶8. (C) EOHR Secretary-General Hafez Abu Seada told us in
early July that he is defending XXXXXXXXXXXXX, a journalist
from the weekly newspaper XXXXXXXXXXXXX whom he said the
Interior Ministry has targeted for writing a series of
articles critical of the minister and other senior MOI
officials. Abu Seada said an Interior Ministry general
confronted XXXXXXXXXXXXX on the street as a pretext for filing
charges against him for allegedly "assaulting" an officer.
The Arab Network for Human Rights Information issued a
statement July 13 criticizing the police for breaking into
XXXXXXXXXXXXX's home six times between July 10 and 11.

¶9. (C) In mid-July, police arrested Yasser Barakat,
editor-in-chief of the independent paper "Al-Moagaz," to
implement a June 24 court decision convicting him of defaming
independent MP and SSIS confidante Mustafa Bakry. In the
first instance in recent memory of a journalist jailed for
defamation, Barakat spent 5 days in jail before his July 11
release pending appeal, following lobbying by the Press
Syndicate (ref A). Contacts have told us that SSIS was able
to provide political cover to support Bakry in his
long-running personal feud against Barakat.
Tueller

=======================CABLE ENDC O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000147

SIPDIS
DRL FOR A/S POSNER
FOR NEA, NEA/ELA AND DRL/NESCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2035/01/31
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: A/S POSNER PRESSES GOE ON POLICE BRUTALITY, NGO
REGISTRATIONS

REF: CAIRO 47; 09 CAIRO 2164; 09 CAIRO 2064; 09 CAIRO 451
07 CAIRO 3214

CLASSIFIED BY: Margaret Scobey, Ambassador, State; REASON: 1.4(B),
(D)

¶1. KEY POINTS



-- (C) In meetings January 12-13, A/S Posner raised the issue of
police brutality and prison conditions with senior GOE officials.



-- (C) Interior Ministry State Security (SSIS) Director Hassan
Abdel Rahman asserted that SSIS has not abused prisoners "in the
past ten years." He claimed that the MOI played no role in the
case of Cairo resident XXXXXXXXXXXX who, according to multiple NGOs, was abused repeatedly by police in January 2009. Rahman claimed there are no problems with prison conditions.



-- (C) MFA Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights Wael
Aboulmagd said the GOE takes the issue of police brutality
seriously, and has increased the number of prosecutions against
offices for torture and abuse.



¶2. (C) Comment: Per ref B, credible human rights lawyers believe
police brutality continues to be a pervasive, daily occurrence in
GOE detention centers, and that SSIS has adapted to increased media
and blogger focus on police brutality by hiding the abuse and
pressuring victims not to bring cases. NGOs assess prison
conditions to be poor, due to overcrowding and lack of medical
care, food, clean water, and proper ventilation. Per ref E,
following a landmark 2007 sentencing of police officers for
assaulting and sodomizing a bus driver, courts have continued to
sentence officers to prison terms for brutality. End comment.



--------------------------------------------- -----

Police Brutality and Prison Conditions

--------------------------------------------- -----



¶3. (C) In a January 12 meeting with Interior Ministry State
Security Director Rahman, A/S Posner asked what measures the GOE
takes to address police brutality and difficult prison conditions,
and what the U.S. could do to help. Rahman said "in the past ten
years" there has been "no abuse of prisoners at all." He
acknowledged there may have been "some violations" against
"terrorists" in prison in the 1970's and 1980's. Posner raised the
case of XXXXXXXXXXXXX who was abused by police in XXXXXXXXXXX according to multiple NGO reports (refs C, D). (Note: The Ambassador raised this case with the Interior Minister in XXXXXXXX, per ref D. End note.) Rahman responded that when citizens do not "get what they want from the police, they become angry." He asserted that XXXXXXXXXXXXhusband is a "criminal," and beat her in the midst of a family dispute. Rahman said the MOI punishes any officer who commits violations. Rahman also said the Interior Ministry treats all prisoners well. More than 1,500 prisoners
pursue university studies, he claimed, and he noted that the
government is focused on prisoners' health and their
rehabilitation.



¶4. (C) A/S Posner also raised police brutality with MFA Deputy
Assistant Minister for Human Rights Wael Aboulmagd who responded
that the GOE takes the issue seriously. Aboulmagd said that since
2005, the Interior Ministry stopped paying fines for police
officers found to have abused detainees. He noted increased
prosecutions against police officers for torture and abuse.
Aboulmagd said the Interior Ministry is participating in human
rights training through the UN Development Program, and internal
courses. He opined that it would take a "generation of training"
before the police accepted the concept of human rights.

CAIRO 00000147 002 OF 002


---------------------------------------

U.S. Support for Civil Society

---------------------------------------



¶5. (C) Rahman asserted that the U.S. funds NGOs and human rights
organizations dominated by "communists and extremists." He claimed
these "communists" do not care about democracy, and want to weaken
the GOE in response to Egypt's movement away from the Soviet Union
and toward the U.S. in the 1970's. The Ambassador pushed back,
saying that the U.S. does not fund NGOs connected to the Muslim
Brotherhood or extremists. She noted the U.S. funds NGOs to
promote civic education, human rights training and election
monitoring. She urged SSIS to allow increased registration of
NGOs. A/S Posner urged Rahman to allow NGOs to register even if
they are critical of the GOE.



¶6. (U) A/S Posner cleared this message.
SCOBEY

Enjoy!
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001447

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ELA AND DRL/NESCA
NSC FOR KUMAR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2029
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: RECENT GOE ACTIONS TO SUPPRESS CRITICAL OPINION

REF: A. CAIRO 1332
¶B. CAIRO 1263
¶C. CAIRO 930
¶D. CAIRO 504
¶E. CAIRO 79

Classified By: Economic-Political Minister-Counselor
Donald A. Blome for reason 1.4 (d).

¶1. KEY POINTS

-- (C) A recent series of selective GOE actions against
journalists, bloggers and even an amateur poet illustrates
the variety of methods available to the GOE to suppress
critical opinion, including an array of investigative
authorities and public and private legal actions.

-- (U) A journalist was jailed on defamation charges for the
first time in recent memory, and an amateur poet was
imprisoned for three months for allegedly defaming President
Mubarak.

-- (C) The GOE arrested three Muslim Brotherhood
(MB)-affiliated bloggers, and has repeatedly used the
Emergency Law to block a court ordered release of another
jailed blogger.

-- (C) The government is working with NDP operatives to flood
the courts with suits against political enemies, using
tactics such as fabricating assault charges against a
journalist and filing a profanity case against a novelist.

-- (C) The GOE's actions are examples of where it decides to
draw redlines in an environment featuring frequent press
articles and blogs critical of both the regime and President
Mubarak.

-- (C) These GOE actions, combined with arrests of MB
officials (septel), could be the start of an attempt to
tighten the political environment in advance of the 2010
parliamentary elections.

--------------------------------------------- ------------
Proactive Security Forces and an Unfortunate Amateur Poet
--------------------------------------------- ------------


¶2. (C) The recent case in XXXXXXXXXXXXX (XXXXXXXXXXXX miles XXXXXXXXXXXX of Cairo) of XXXXXXXXXXXXX, a local government clerk arrested, convicted and jailed for writing unpublished poetry allegedly insulting to President Mubarak, illustrates how proactive
security forces and courts can successfully move against a
civilian defended by incompetent lawyers. In late June, the
Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) issued a
statement that police in XXXXXXXXXXXXXX arrested XXXXXXXXXXXXXX in April for defaming Mubarak in a poem, and a local court subsequently sentenced him to three years in prison. According to the statement, the court set bail at LE 100,000 (15,000 USD) pending appeal, and since XXXXXXXXXXXX could not afford that sum, he remained in jail. Skilled Cairo-based lawyers from ANHRI
appealed the case, and a Minya appeals court acquitted XXXXXXXXXXX July 18; he was released July 20. XXXXXXXXXXXX might still be in jail if his original defense lawyers had not sought help.

¶3. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXXX told us he was not
aware of the case until June when lawyers from Minya
contacted him to help with the appeal. XXXXXXXXXXXXX attributed the conviction in part to the poor skills of the defense lawyers.
The case remained virtually unknown until the days leading
up to the July 18 appeal verdict when the local and
international press began reporting on it. Until mid-July,
even our contacts specializing in freedom of expression were
unaware of the case. Following XXXXXXXXXXXX's release from prison, XXXXXXXXXX appeared on Egyptian satellite television and said XXXXXXXXXXXXX would not write any more poetry critical of the government. XXXXXXXXXXXX also criticized lawyers from Minya for not defending him aggressively out of fear of the GOE's response.

--------------------------------
Arresting and Harassing Bloggers
--------------------------------

¶4. (C) In a blogging environment often critical of the
government, the GOE has selectively moved against certain
bloggers. Most recently, the GOE arrested three young,
Muslim Brotherhood (MB)-affiliated bloggers. XXXXXXXXXXXXX
confirmed for us July 27 that State Security Investigative
Services (SSIS) arrested bloggers XXXXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXXXXXX at Cairo International Airport

CAIRO 00001447 002 OF 002


following their return from a conference in XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX also confirmed that SSIS arrested a third blogger, XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, at his home on XXXXXXXXXXX, and that all three bloggers remained in detention. The MB website reported XXXXXXXXXXX that the GOE released XXXXXXXXXXXXX that day. The three bloggers have criticized trials of MB members in military courts and have voiced support for MB detainees. Our contacts have asserted that the GOE fears young, tech-savvy MB-affiliated bloggers
because of their ability to generate mass support for the
Brotherhood and organize rallies and other events via the
internet. Contacts attributed the arrest and torture of
young MB-blogger XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX in XXXXXXXXXXXX(refs D, E) to these factors. Police released XXXXXXXXXXXXX in XXXXXXXXXXXX (ref D).

¶5. (C) Prominent blogger XXXXXXXXXXXX ran afoul of the GOE by
publicly criticizing the regime in late June at a conference
in XXXXXXXXXXXXX (ref B). XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, who was held at XXXXXXXXXXXX International Airport XXXXXXXXXX for 13 hours upon his return, told us XXXXXXXXXXXXXX that police have still not returned his laptop. Hafez Abu Seada, Secretary-General of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights which is representing XXXXXXXXXXXX, told us July 22 that the police have not responded to his organization's inquiries beyond saying that they are holding
the laptop to search for "intellectual property violations."
XXXXXXXXXXXXX had told us that NDP members attending the same
conference in XXXXXXXXXXXXX reported his critical comments to the
GOE.

¶6. (C) The GOE is using the Emergency Law to reject court
orders for the release of blogger XXXXXXXXXXXXXX whom SSIS has
kept in jail since XXXXXXXXXXXXXX for allegedly insulting both
Islam and Christianity (ref C). XXXXXXXXXXXXX's lawyer XXXXXXXXXXX told us that the Interior Ministry rejected a XXXXXXXXXXXXX court order to release XXXXXXXXXXXXX, and since SSIS made the arrest under the Emergency Law, neither the courts nor attorneys have any recourse. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX commented that this is the fifth time the MOI
has refused to follow court decisions ordering XXXXXXXXXXXXX's
release.

--------------------------------------------- -
GOE Actions Against a Novelist and Journalists
--------------------------------------------- -

¶7. (C) The GOE and NDP operatives have stepped up their
efforts to file lawsuits against political opponents. Human
Rights attorney XXXXXXXXXXXXX told us in late June that he
is defending the leading independent newspaper "Al-Masry
Al-Youm" against more than 70 defamation suits, most of which
have been filed by NDP loyalists. XXXXXXXXXXXXX is also defending
XXXXXXXXXXXXX author of XXXXXXXXXXXXX against a government suit alleging that the work is profane. XXXXXXXXXXXXX said the MOI filed the profanity suit as a pretext to punish the author for the novel's criticism of the NDP and of MOI heavy-handed police tactics against
demonstrators. The profanity suit focuses on one relatively
explicit sex scene and the use of expletives. XXXXXXXXXXXXX said
such content is common in books and magazines, and almost
never incurs suits. The trial is currently adjourned until
the fall.

¶8. (C) EOHR Secretary-General Hafez Abu Seada told us in
early July that he is defending XXXXXXXXXXXXX, a journalist
from the weekly newspaper XXXXXXXXXXXXX whom he said the
Interior Ministry has targeted for writing a series of
articles critical of the minister and other senior MOI
officials. Abu Seada said an Interior Ministry general
confronted XXXXXXXXXXXXX on the street as a pretext for filing
charges against him for allegedly "assaulting" an officer.
The Arab Network for Human Rights Information issued a
statement July 13 criticizing the police for breaking into
XXXXXXXXXXXXX's home six times between July 10 and 11.

¶9. (C) In mid-July, police arrested Yasser Barakat,
editor-in-chief of the independent paper "Al-Moagaz," to
implement a June 24 court decision convicting him of defaming
independent MP and SSIS confidante Mustafa Bakry. In the
first instance in recent memory of a journalist jailed for
defamation, Barakat spent 5 days in jail before his July 11
release pending appeal, following lobbying by the Press
Syndicate (ref A). Contacts have told us that SSIS was able
to provide political cover to support Bakry in his
long-running personal feud against Barakat.
Tueller

=======================CABLE ENDC O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000147

SIPDIS
DRL FOR A/S POSNER
FOR NEA, NEA/ELA AND DRL/NESCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2035/01/31
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: A/S POSNER PRESSES GOE ON POLICE BRUTALITY, NGO
REGISTRATIONS

REF: CAIRO 47; 09 CAIRO 2164; 09 CAIRO 2064; 09 CAIRO 451
07 CAIRO 3214

CLASSIFIED BY: Margaret Scobey, Ambassador, State; REASON: 1.4(B),
(D)

¶1. KEY POINTS



-- (C) In meetings January 12-13, A/S Posner raised the issue of
police brutality and prison conditions with senior GOE officials.



-- (C) Interior Ministry State Security (SSIS) Director Hassan
Abdel Rahman asserted that SSIS has not abused prisoners "in the
past ten years." He claimed that the MOI played no role in the
case of Cairo resident XXXXXXXXXXXX who, according to multiple NGOs, was abused repeatedly by police in January 2009. Rahman claimed there are no problems with prison conditions.



-- (C) MFA Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights Wael
Aboulmagd said the GOE takes the issue of police brutality
seriously, and has increased the number of prosecutions against
offices for torture and abuse.



¶2. (C) Comment: Per ref B, credible human rights lawyers believe
police brutality continues to be a pervasive, daily occurrence in
GOE detention centers, and that SSIS has adapted to increased media
and blogger focus on police brutality by hiding the abuse and
pressuring victims not to bring cases. NGOs assess prison
conditions to be poor, due to overcrowding and lack of medical
care, food, clean water, and proper ventilation. Per ref E,
following a landmark 2007 sentencing of police officers for
assaulting and sodomizing a bus driver, courts have continued to
sentence officers to prison terms for brutality. End comment.



--------------------------------------------- -----

Police Brutality and Prison Conditions

--------------------------------------------- -----



¶3. (C) In a January 12 meeting with Interior Ministry State
Security Director Rahman, A/S Posner asked what measures the GOE
takes to address police brutality and difficult prison conditions,
and what the U.S. could do to help. Rahman said "in the past ten
years" there has been "no abuse of prisoners at all." He
acknowledged there may have been "some violations" against
"terrorists" in prison in the 1970's and 1980's. Posner raised the
case of XXXXXXXXXXXXX who was abused by police in XXXXXXXXXXX according to multiple NGO reports (refs C, D). (Note: The Ambassador raised this case with the Interior Minister in XXXXXXXX, per ref D. End note.) Rahman responded that when citizens do not "get what they want from the police, they become angry." He asserted that XXXXXXXXXXXXhusband is a "criminal," and beat her in the midst of a family dispute. Rahman said the MOI punishes any officer who commits violations. Rahman also said the Interior Ministry treats all prisoners well. More than 1,500 prisoners
pursue university studies, he claimed, and he noted that the
government is focused on prisoners' health and their
rehabilitation.



¶4. (C) A/S Posner also raised police brutality with MFA Deputy
Assistant Minister for Human Rights Wael Aboulmagd who responded
that the GOE takes the issue seriously. Aboulmagd said that since
2005, the Interior Ministry stopped paying fines for police
officers found to have abused detainees. He noted increased
prosecutions against police officers for torture and abuse.
Aboulmagd said the Interior Ministry is participating in human
rights training through the UN Development Program, and internal
courses. He opined that it would take a "generation of training"
before the police accepted the concept of human rights.

CAIRO 00000147 002 OF 002


---------------------------------------

U.S. Support for Civil Society

---------------------------------------



¶5. (C) Rahman asserted that the U.S. funds NGOs and human rights
organizations dominated by "communists and extremists." He claimed
these "communists" do not care about democracy, and want to weaken
the GOE in response to Egypt's movement away from the Soviet Union
and toward the U.S. in the 1970's. The Ambassador pushed back,
saying that the U.S. does not fund NGOs connected to the Muslim
Brotherhood or extremists. She noted the U.S. funds NGOs to
promote civic education, human rights training and election
monitoring. She urged SSIS to allow increased registration of
NGOs. A/S Posner urged Rahman to allow NGOs to register even if
they are critical of the GOE.



¶6. (U) A/S Posner cleared this message.
SCOBEY

Enjoy!
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001447

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ELA AND DRL/NESCA
NSC FOR KUMAR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2029
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EG
SUBJECT: RECENT GOE ACTIONS TO SUPPRESS CRITICAL OPINION

REF: A. CAIRO 1332
¶B. CAIRO 1263
¶C. CAIRO 930
¶D. CAIRO 504
¶E. CAIRO 79

Classified By: Economic-Political Minister-Counselor
Donald A. Blome for reason 1.4 (d).

¶1. KEY POINTS

-- (C) A recent series of selective GOE actions against
journalists, bloggers and even an amateur poet illustrates
the variety of methods available to the GOE to suppress
critical opinion, including an array of investigative
authorities and public and private legal actions.

-- (U) A journalist was jailed on defamation charges for the
first time in recent memory, and an amateur poet was
imprisoned for three months for allegedly defaming President
Mubarak.

-- (C) The GOE arrested three Muslim Brotherhood
(MB)-affiliated bloggers, and has repeatedly used the
Emergency Law to block a court ordered release of another
jailed blogger.

-- (C) The government is working with NDP operatives to flood
the courts with suits against political enemies, using
tactics such as fabricating assault charges against a
journalist and filing a profanity case against a novelist.

-- (C) The GOE's actions are examples of where it decides to
draw redlines in an environment featuring frequent press
articles and blogs critical of both the regime and President
Mubarak.

-- (C) These GOE actions, combined with arrests of MB
officials (septel), could be the start of an attempt to
tighten the political environment in advance of the 2010
parliamentary elections.

--------------------------------------------- ------------
Proactive Security Forces and an Unfortunate Amateur Poet
--------------------------------------------- ------------


¶2. (C) The recent case in XXXXXXXXXXXXX (XXXXXXXXXXXX miles XXXXXXXXXXXX of Cairo) of XXXXXXXXXXXXX, a local government clerk arrested, convicted and jailed for writing unpublished poetry allegedly insulting to President Mubarak, illustrates how proactive
security forces and courts can successfully move against a
civilian defended by incompetent lawyers. In late June, the
Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) issued a
statement that police in XXXXXXXXXXXXXX arrested XXXXXXXXXXXXXX in April for defaming Mubarak in a poem, and a local court subsequently sentenced him to three years in prison. According to the statement, the court set bail at LE 100,000 (15,000 USD) pending appeal, and since XXXXXXXXXXXX could not afford that sum, he remained in jail. Skilled Cairo-based lawyers from ANHRI
appealed the case, and a Minya appeals court acquitted XXXXXXXXXXX July 18; he was released July 20. XXXXXXXXXXXX might still be in jail if his original defense lawyers had not sought help.

¶3. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXXX told us he was not
aware of the case until June when lawyers from Minya
contacted him to help with the appeal. XXXXXXXXXXXXX attributed the conviction in part to the poor skills of the defense lawyers.
The case remained virtually unknown until the days leading
up to the July 18 appeal verdict when the local and
international press began reporting on it. Until mid-July,
even our contacts specializing in freedom of expression were
unaware of the case. Following XXXXXXXXXXXX's release from prison, XXXXXXXXXX appeared on Egyptian satellite television and said XXXXXXXXXXXXX would not write any more poetry critical of the government. XXXXXXXXXXXX also criticized lawyers from Minya for not defending him aggressively out of fear of the GOE's response.

--------------------------------
Arresting and Harassing Bloggers
--------------------------------

¶4. (C) In a blogging environment often critical of the
government, the GOE has selectively moved against certain
bloggers. Most recently, the GOE arrested three young,
Muslim Brotherhood (MB)-affiliated bloggers. XXXXXXXXXXXXX
confirmed for us July 27 that State Security Investigative
Services (SSIS) arrested bloggers XXXXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXXXXXX at Cairo International Airport

CAIRO 00001447 002 OF 002


following their return from a conference in XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX also confirmed that SSIS arrested a third blogger, XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, at his home on XXXXXXXXXXX, and that all three bloggers remained in detention. The MB website reported XXXXXXXXXXX that the GOE released XXXXXXXXXXXXX that day. The three bloggers have criticized trials of MB members in military courts and have voiced support for MB detainees. Our contacts have asserted that the GOE fears young, tech-savvy MB-affiliated bloggers
because of their ability to generate mass support for the
Brotherhood and organize rallies and other events via the
internet. Contacts attributed the arrest and torture of
young MB-blogger XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX in XXXXXXXXXXXX(refs D, E) to these factors. Police released XXXXXXXXXXXXX in XXXXXXXXXXXX (ref D).

¶5. (C) Prominent blogger XXXXXXXXXXXX ran afoul of the GOE by
publicly criticizing the regime in late June at a conference
in XXXXXXXXXXXXX (ref B). XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, who was held at XXXXXXXXXXXX International Airport XXXXXXXXXX for 13 hours upon his return, told us XXXXXXXXXXXXXX that police have still not returned his laptop. Hafez Abu Seada, Secretary-General of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights which is representing XXXXXXXXXXXX, told us July 22 that the police have not responded to his organization's inquiries beyond saying that they are holding
the laptop to search for "intellectual property violations."
XXXXXXXXXXXXX had told us that NDP members attending the same
conference in XXXXXXXXXXXXX reported his critical comments to the
GOE.

¶6. (C) The GOE is using the Emergency Law to reject court
orders for the release of blogger XXXXXXXXXXXXXX whom SSIS has
kept in jail since XXXXXXXXXXXXXX for allegedly insulting both
Islam and Christianity (ref C). XXXXXXXXXXXXX's lawyer XXXXXXXXXXX told us that the Interior Ministry rejected a XXXXXXXXXXXXX court order to release XXXXXXXXXXXXX, and since SSIS made the arrest under the Emergency Law, neither the courts nor attorneys have any recourse. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX commented that this is the fifth time the MOI
has refused to follow court decisions ordering XXXXXXXXXXXXX's
release.

--------------------------------------------- -
GOE Actions Against a Novelist and Journalists
--------------------------------------------- -

¶7. (C) The GOE and NDP operatives have stepped up their
efforts to file lawsuits against political opponents. Human
Rights attorney XXXXXXXXXXXXX told us in late June that he
is defending the leading independent newspaper "Al-Masry
Al-Youm" against more than 70 defamation suits, most of which
have been filed by NDP loyalists. XXXXXXXXXXXXX is also defending
XXXXXXXXXXXXX author of XXXXXXXXXXXXX against a government suit alleging that the work is profane. XXXXXXXXXXXXX said the MOI filed the profanity suit as a pretext to punish the author for the novel's criticism of the NDP and of MOI heavy-handed police tactics against
demonstrators. The profanity suit focuses on one relatively
explicit sex scene and the use of expletives. XXXXXXXXXXXXX said
such content is common in books and magazines, and almost
never incurs suits. The trial is currently adjourned until
the fall.

¶8. (C) EOHR Secretary-General Hafez Abu Seada told us in
early July that he is defending XXXXXXXXXXXXX, a journalist
from the weekly newspaper XXXXXXXXXXXXX whom he said the
Interior Ministry has targeted for writing a series of
articles critical of the minister and other senior MOI
officials. Abu Seada said an Interior Ministry general
confronted XXXXXXXXXXXXX on the street as a pretext for filing
charges against him for allegedly "assaulting" an officer.
The Arab Network for Human Rights Information issued a
statement July 13 criticizing the police for breaking into
XXXXXXXXXXXXX's home six times between July 10 and 11.

¶9. (C) In mid-July, police arrested Yasser Barakat,
editor-in-chief of the independent paper "Al-Moagaz," to
implement a June 24 court decision convicting him of defaming
independent MP and SSIS confidante Mustafa Bakry. In the
first instance in recent memory of a journalist jailed for
defamation, Barakat spent 5 days in jail before his July 11
release pending appeal, following lobbying by the Press
Syndicate (ref A). Contacts have told us that SSIS was able
to provide political cover to support Bakry in his
long-running personal feud against Barakat.
Tueller

=======================CABLE END

l'enfoiré
hello Mr banco solo
je t'interdis de parler notre religion comme ça psq te un enfoiree de merde tu sai pas de quoi tu parle te male elever donc je discute pa bcp avec toi psq tu sai pas de quoi tu parle

bonjour
je suis actu en egypt j'aimerais savoir coment avoir une visa de canada

pay de chien
un jour sur cette terre les chiens de musulmans se feront sauter et bon débarras . l islam fonder par un gay frustré nommé allah qui rencontras jesus un autre foutu frustré anti femme.

.
Si vous voulez visiter l'Egypte, je suggere d'aller voir les pyramides et faire un tour sur le Nil, vraiment BEAU!

honte de l'Egypte
J'ai jamais vu un pays aussi degueulasse que l'Egypte. Premierement, l'hygiene est a ZERO! C'est un pays TROP peuplé et les egyptiens n'ont pas de manieres.
De plus, chaque 5 heures on entend les musulmans prier. Ce n'est pas un pays libre!!!
C'est un pays SALE et discriminatoire. Plus jamais que j remet les pieds la-dedans. Tres decus de mon experience.

Ph. D.
Devant l’attaque de la flottille de la paix par Israël, il est désolant de constater votre silence et celui de votre gouvernement. D’autant plus que vous savez fort bien que ce navire était un effort humanitaire pour la survie du peuple palestinien.



Donc, l’arraisonnement de ce convoi dans les eaux internationales est un geste répugnant, révoltant qui ne peut être justifié par quelques prétextes que ce soit. Que faut-il de plus pour que vous preniez position ?.



Sachez messieurs que l’indifférence ou la non implication seront jugées par l’histoire comme une culpabilité directe. Un silence complice devant de telles atrocités et les assassinats qui en ont découlés est un outrage au peuple et à toute dignité humaine.



Au nom de la conscience, nous vous incitons à dénoncer sur la place publique ce geste de piraterie. De plus, nous vous demandons également de ne plus collaborer de quelque façon que ce soit au génocide palestinien et au système d’apartheid qui prévaut en Israël.

Sur ce, Monsieur le Ministre, recevez mes salutations.

Jean Cédras

4268 Rivard

Montréal H2J 2M8



C .C. Morin Louise , Albert Auger, André Bourbonnais, Michel Badeau, Pierre Barbigier ,Micheline Boisvert , Marlène Boudreault , Charlotte Cayouette, Jean Cédras, Sophie Charbonneau , Huguette Cossette, Jacline Côté, Daniel Drique , Danielle Blain ,Delphine Lafranfenière, Dorothy Deschamps , France Nimbley , Francine Choinière, René Funk , Gervais Bouchard, Nassima Bouaifer Ginette Mecteau , Guilaine St-Pierre , Guy Desrosiers, Marcel Huguet , Yoland Roy, Johanne DuLoup ,Tanya Johnston, Josée Sarazin , Alain Larouche , Louise Lavergne, Bertrand le Houiller, Jean Léger, Josée Vanasse
Linda Russell , Louise Dion , Lucie Colluccino , Manon et Rirchard Martel, Maryse Dugas , Maria Luisa Mastache Mastache, Mohamed Bounegta , Martin Morin , Nicole Lavergne , Alain Péricard, Vincent Perreault , Sylvain Monfette, Toby Earp, Charles Rheault, Diane Leblanc

Ph. D.
evant l’attaque de la flottille de la paix par Israël, il est désolant de constater votre silence et celui de votre gouvernement. D’autant plus que vous savez fort bien que ce navire était un effort humanitaire pour la survie du peuple palestinien.



Donc, l’arraisonnement de ce convoi dans les eaux internationales est un geste répugnant, révoltant qui ne peut être justifié par quelques prétextes que ce soit. Que faut-il de plus pour que vous preniez position ?.



Sachez messieurs que l’indifférence ou la non implication seront jugées par l’histoire comme une culpabilité directe. Un silence complice devant de telles atrocités et les assassinats qui en ont découlés est un outrage au peuple et à toute dignité humaine.



Au nom de la conscience, nous vous incitons à dénoncer sur la place publique ce geste de piraterie. De plus, nous vous demandons également de ne plus collaborer de quelque façon que ce soit au génocide palestinien et au système d’apartheid qui prévaut en Israël.

Sur ce, Monsieur le Ministre, recevez mes salutations.

Jean Cédras

4268 Rivard

Montréal H2J 2M8



C .C. Morin Louise , Albert Auger, André Bourbonnais, Michel Badeau, Pierre Barbigier ,Micheline Boisvert , Marlène Boudreault , Charlotte Cayouette, Jean Cédras, Sophie Charbonneau , Huguette Cossette, Jacline Côté, Daniel Drique , Danielle Blain ,Delphine Lafranfenière, Dorothy Deschamps , France Nimbley , Francine Choinière, René Funk , Gervais Bouchard, Nassima Bouaifer Ginette Mecteau , Guilaine St-Pierre , Guy Desrosiers, Marcel Huguet , Yoland Roy, Johanne DuLoup ,Tanya Johnston, Josée Sarazin , Alain Larouche , Louise Lavergne, Bertrand le Houiller, Jean Léger, Josée Vanasse
Linda Russell , Louise Dion , Lucie Colluccino , Manon et Rirchard Martel, Maryse Dugas , Maria Luisa Mastache Mastache, Mohamed Bounegta , Martin Morin , Nicole Lavergne , Alain Péricard, Vincent Perreault , Sylvain Monfette, Toby Earp, Charles Rheault, Diane Leblanc