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Alert

Civilian detained for speaking out in support of Egyptian revolution

(ANHRI/IFEX) - Cairo, February 8th, 2011 - The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) denounced today the detention of an Emirati citizen, Hasan Mohamed elHamady, in Khorfikan on 4 February 2011. He was detained for speaking out in support of the Egyptian revolution that was sparked by the Egyptian youth and later joined by millions of others, in its demands for democracy and for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down.

On 4 February, Hasan, a 50-year-old clerk in the Ministry of Education, gave a speech after Friday prayers in a mosque, during which he declared his support for the Egyptian protesters and their demands that Mubarak step down. He was arrested shortly afterwards and detained in an unknown location for 3 days. His family learnt that he was accused of "disturbing public security".

ANHRI said, "It is very disturbing that the authorities conceal such an oppressive police apparatus under a pleasant facade. The UAE police is no less brutal that the Saudi one. Instead of deploying the promised reforms, freedom of expression is shamelessly repressed."

According to ANHRI, the Emirates government is losing credibility among Egyptians because of its support for Mubarak and his oppressive government. The UAE government is added to the list of governments resisting the right of Egyptians to democracy.