Egypt: Trial of Maikel Nabil Sanad again postponed to 4 December on his 97th day of hunger strike
(28.11.2011) In the case of imprisoned pacifist blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad, the military court on 27 November again adjourned the trial, this time until 4 December, to hear a new prosecution witness. At the hearing on 27 November, Maikel Nabil Sanad’s internet provider TE Data told the prosecution that they would not be able to provide the court with the information requested, and that the military should have requested that the internet company monitor the blogger’s activity prior to arrest.
At the hearing on 13 November, the case was adjourned to 27 November, to wait for the report of the internet service provider. Meanwhile, Maikel Nabil Sanad passed the 97th day of his hunger strike, surviving on fruit and dairy juices.
Maikel Nabil Sanad was arrested at the end of march on charges of violating article 184 of the Egyptian penal code, which criminalizes "insulting the People’s Assembly, the Shura Council or any State Authority, or the Army or the Courts", and article 102, "spreading false information". In a trial in front of a military court violating all established legal standards, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on 10 April 2011, in absence of his family, friends, or lawyers. Since then he has been kept in El Marg prison.
On 23 August, Maikel Nabil Sanad began a hunger strike in protest against his imprisonment. In a statement at the beginning of his hunger strike, he declared that his hunger strike is in protest against the severe injustice he is subjected to, namely his unfair trial in front of a military court, the slow processing of his appeal, and the difference of treatment in the cases of Asmaa Mahfouz and Louie Nagati (who had their charges dropped on 18 August 2011) and in his case.
As a result of growing pressure, the appeal hearing was finally brought forward to 4 October, but then again adjourned, because a file was missing. On 11 October, the military appeal court declared the original sentence of 10 April 2011 "null and void", but failed to release Maikel Nabil Sanad.
Maikel Nabil Sanad refuses to co-operate with the re-trial, and also asked his lawyers to stop any co-operation with the military court. On 18 October, a military court again heard the case of Maikel Nabil Sanad, and appointed a lawyer to represent him, who - according to one of Maikel Nabil Sanad’s lawyers - was unacquainted with the case. The court ordered to transfer Maikel Nabil Sanad to a psychiatric hospital "for examination", but the hospital refused this attempt at pathologisation of political dissent, and sent him back after a few days, declaring him "sane".
The case has now been adjourned to 4 December, and Maikel Nabil Sanad remains imprisoned and on hunger strike.
War Resisters’ International calls for urgent letters of support to Maikel Nabil Sanad:
Maikel Nabil Sanad, El-Marg prison, El-Kalag, El-Khanka, Qalyubeya, Egypt
Letters to Maikel can also be sent via http://wri-irg.org/campagins/supportmaikelnabil
War Resisters’ International calls for urgent letters of protest to the Egyptian authorities. A protest email can be sent at http://wri-irg.org/node/14274.
War Resisters’ International calls on the Egyptian authorities to respond to Maikel Nabil Sanad’s hunger strike and to immediately release him.
War Resisters’ International: Egypt: Trial of Maikel Nabil Sanad again postponed to 4 December on his 97th day of hunger strike. November 28, 2011
Keywords: ⇒ Egypt ⇒ Human Rights ⇒ Maikel Nabil Sanad ⇒ Military ⇒ Prosecution