Wednesday, May 11, 2016



No freedom in Egypt

Being able to laugh at the government is something we in New Zealand take for granted. But if you do it in Egypt, its "terrorism":

Four young Egyptians have been remanded in custody, accused of making fun of the government in a satirical video posted on social networks, according to judicial sources.

[...]

On Tuesday, Mohammed Adel, Mohammed Gabr, Mohammed al-Dessouki and Mohammed Yehya were remanded in custody for 15 days, their lawyer and a judiciary official said.

In the group’s latest video, Street Children mock the devaluation of the Egyptian pound as well as the return of the islands to Saudi Arabia.

The four are accused of “promoting ideas calling for terrorist acts by posting a video on social networks and YouTube”, Ottman said.

They are also suspected of “incitement to take part in demonstrations disturbing the public order” and “inciting mobs to commit hostile actions against state institutions”, he added.


Only a tyranny would consider mocking the government to be terrorism. But then only tyrannies have to fear being mocked - because if you are an object of mockery, then no-one fears you.

Hopefully, the international outcry will force them to be released. Sadly, the Egyptian regime will probably murder them instead.