Army Clears out Tahrir

My soul aches. Only a week ago I was walking in Tahrir…sitting under the shade of the tents. Whether or not I agree with everything that was happening in the square it is still painful to watch the terrible things that are happening to the country and the people. No force or brutality should ever be used against peaceful protesters. No lies should be invented against those who only wish for freedom and democracy. Stay safe Egypt.

VICE ARTICLE

My early experiences in Egypt via Alex McGill in Vice. Some of my opinions have changed since but a follow up is coming soon!

 

 

 

Thoughts on Minya

Read Sarah’s latest article on the interviews we conducted in Minya!

Mark & Maikel Nabil.

Yesterday we met Mark Nabil. A couple months ago Mark got a phone call from his brother Maikel telling him he had been detained and that he had a court hearing in 30 minutes. He urged Mark to call local and international media, human rights groups and his family and friends. Mark worked quickly trying to alert anyone he could about Maikel’s detention. The military accused Maikel of publishing false information” and “insulting the military”. The case was postponed upon the family and lawyers request. In the following days the Kafka-esque trial began…Maikel was deprived of medicine he needs for his heart condition, he was administered mysterious drugs on many occasions, the judge changed three times during the hearings and the verdict was postponed even five times in one day. After the fifth postponement (to the next day), Maikel’s family and lawyers travelled home, however, Maikel was transported back to court without anyone and was sentenced to three years imprisonment. Though this might have been common in the Mubarak days, Maikel was detained AFTER Mubarak had left. If you look at Maikel and Mark…they are two young boys in their early 20s and have never set out to harm anyone. Maikel’s spreading of “false information” is false information itself. After writing this blog post, I will walk away from this laptop, eat something, maybe go grab a bite to eat then head to meet someone for an interview in Zamalek. I will not have to show anyone my ID. I will not have to inform anyone of what I am going to do. But that isn’t the case for secular liberals in Egypt who constantly receive death threats from both ordinary people as well as authorities. I could never imagine spending three years in prison for simply stating what I know and expressing my opinion about it. The words human rights and freedom get thrown around all the time in North America. I never knew what they meant. People say they are the most important things. Now I know why.

#TahrirClashes

Last night we headed to a #CairoTweetup at Happy City Hotel. We hung around the roof talking to some of Egypt’s most important activists and revolutionaries. Then they all started getting notifications that something was brewing in Tahrir Square (just a few blocks down the road). Since our hotel is only a couple blocks down the road from the square we passed through. Then came the tear gas. People were running and telling us it wasn’t safe and to leave. We went back down the street towards our hotel and came face to face with protesters starting to clash with who knows. A nice Egyptian man redirected us through side streets until we got back to the hotel. We couldn’t sleep so we spent all night watching the action unfold from our balcony…a frustrating experience since I wanted to go help out in some sort of way. I stayed glued to my balcony and Twitter feed from around midnight to 5 AM. This video was taken at about 3 AM when riot police started clashing with protesters(?) on Mohamed Mahmoud street near the American University of Cairo library.

Ahlan.

A friendly face in downtown Cairo

Also – be sure to check out Sophie’s Diary page (link on top of page) for an update on our daily activities.

Kalimat

OUR FRIENDS AT KALIMAT MAGAZINE ARE HOSTING A FUNDRAISER LOFT PARTY TO LAUNCH THEIR SUMMER ISSUE 

Arab thought and culture magazine Kalimat is hosting a fundraiser loft party on Friday, June 24 at 7pm to celebrate the launch of their Summer issue and to raise funds to release a print edition of future issues. The event will take place at a loft located at 52 St. Lawrence Street in Toronto’s Corktown Neighbourhood.

Following the success of the first issue launched in April 2011, Kalimat invites media representatives and the general public to take a look at the new Summer issue before its official release and raise funds to help bring future issues to print. The party will feature music by DJ Karim Sultan that promises to make guests dance, hors d’oeuvres, Arab specialty drinks and other surprises.

Who:	Kalimat Magazine
What:	Fundraiser Loft Party to celebrate the launch of the Summer issue
When:	Friday, June 24, 2011, 7pm
Where:	52 St. Lawrence Street (St. Lawrence and King Street East), Unit 315, Buzzer 0217

Tickets are priced at $10 for advance purchase and $15 at the door and are available for purchase online at kalimatloftparty.eventbrite.com. RSVP and tickets are mandatory to access the event.

About Kalimat Magazine

Kalimat Magazine is committed to rejuvenating Arabic culture by providing an outlet for political, cultural and social expression within the Arab region and its Diaspora. At the same time, it is a visual communication tool that serves to change Western perception of Arabs. The purpose is to be an open outlet for expression and to increase participation within the cultural/creative scene.

We’re on KickStarter!

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Citizen Videos

A Second Revolution?

See what Egyptians are saying on CrowdVoice.