The Skeptic الشكاك

862 Bloggers Among Brotherhood Detainees

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information reports that three bloggers are among the dozens of people arrested for their alleged involvement in the Muslim Brotherhood’s dangerous plot to deliver medical supplies to Gaza.

They face charges of “taking advantage of the prevailing atmosphere of democracy to overthrow the regime.” Yes, breathe deeply. Even the Black Cloud can’t choke the “prevailing atmosphere of democracy.”

I’m not yet convinced that this is a free-expression case (will have to see whether the prosecutors adduce evidence from the detainees’ blogs in making their case), but the arrests are clearly political. The government’s apparent policy with regard to the Brotherhood is one of containment. So long as the Brothers limit themselves to encouraging women to wear the hijab, the security forces will arrest only a few dozen members from time to time, hold them for 15 or 30 days without trial, and release them. If the group challenges the government in the political arena, the government responds by arresting hundreds.

Anything involving Gaza and Sinai is sensitive, far past the bounds of what the government is apparently willing to tolerate. The argument that allowing a banned organization to undermine Egypt’s border with one of the world’s primary flash-points would harm national security might have convinced some. But charging Brothers with helping suffering Palestinians would play into the Brotherhood’s hand. Hence, perhaps, the standard charge of “attempting to overthrow the government.”

But I can think of no explanation for the prosecutor’s little “taking advantage advantage of the prevailing atmosphere of democracy” flourish. A pitch for promotion? Is he up for a judgeship? Or is he lodging a small, sarcastic protest?

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