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EOHR Demands Shelving Investigations in Mohamed Omara's Case and Dropping all Charges of Karim Amer
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25/1/2007
EOHR expresses its deepest worries concerning action taken by the Prosecutor' Office to summon the Islamic professor Mohamed Omara for interrogation because of writing the book "Infidel Seditions Between Shi'aa, Wahabies and Sufism". The Prosecutor's Office also transferred the blogger Karim Amer to court on the 25th January 2007 in case 6677/2006. EOHR demands shelving investigations with Mohamed Omara and to drop all the charges of Karim Amer as an enactment of freedom of expression and opinion stipulated in international human rights documents as well as the Egyptian Constitution.
In his book "Infidel Seditions Between Shi'aa, Wahabies and Sufism", professor Mohamed Omara included some text which was considered by the church as a call for bloodshed of non-Muslims. This misunderstanding forced Omara to apologize and to present an explanation to this unintentional mistake. The Ministry of Endowment withdrew the book from the markets to be republished after omitting the offensive parts. However, the church refused Omara's apologies and reported him to the Prosecution Office accusing him of disrespecting religions. Eventually, Omara was summoned by the Prosecution Office for interrogation.
As in the case of the secular blogger Karim Amer, he was unofficially detained by security bodies by the end of October 2006 for 12 days because of his posts on his blog. His posts tackled the incidents of sectarian sedition which took place in Alexandria. After Amer was released, the Azhar University dismissed him because of his secular ideas, and reported him to the Prosecution Office. Amer is in incommunicado detention since the 6th November 2006. Amer's punishment may reach 9 years of imprisonment because of his posts on the blog that criticize Islam.
Accordingly, EOHR demands from the Prosecutor General to shelf the case of Dr. Omara and to consider his apologies, and to drop all the charges of Karim Amer as an enactment to the principles of freedom of expression furnished by the Egyptian Constitution and international human rights documents which are also considered part of the Egyptian national legislation according to 151 of the Constitution.
* Article 47 of the Egyptian Constitution states :" Freedom of opinion shall be guaranteed. Every individual shall have the right to express his opinion and to publicise it verbally, in writing, by photography or by other means of expression within the limits of the law. Self criticism and constructive criticism shall guarantee the safety of the national structure."
* Article 49 of the Egyptian Constitution states :" The State shall guarantee for citizens the freedom of scientific research and literary, artistic and cultural creativity and provide the necessary means for encouraging their realization.
* Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
* Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states: " Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching."
* Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: " Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
* Article 19/2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states:" Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice."
In defense of freedom of expression and opinion, EOHR calls upon all Egyptian human rights organizations to support Karim Amer in his trial to pressure the Government to drop all his charges and consider him a prisoner of conscience, and to close Dr Omara's case while stressing on the respect of all beliefs.
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