Ally of Kareem Amer targeted by Egyptian authorities

Egyptian blogger and human rights activist -- and jill of many trades, including translator, poet, columnist -- Dalia Ziada, whose work has been invaluable in the campaign to free imprisoned blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Soliman (blog name Kareem Amer), is now apparently coming under the iron fist of the Egyptian government. From her blog:

"The Judge Abdul Fattah Murad wants to block my blog because of this poem. What do you think? He is accusing me of contempting Islam. I am a Muslim and I am proud of this. However, I will never agree with your shameful practices against my friend Kareem Amer. Clear?"

More detail from the Free Kareem site:

"Dalia has recently learnt that a poem she wrote in support of Kareem has caught the attention of Egypt’s State Security Service. Consequently, her blog is currently among the 50 Web sites Kareem Amer’s appeals judge wants to be banned from Internet users in Egypt.

Despite being a devout Muslim, Dalia is being accused of contempting religion because of her poetry. So far, it seems they are only interested in blocking her blog. However, if the claim is transferred to a criminal court, she may be handed a minimum sentence of three years. The judge is also trying to have her Tharwa_Egypt Web site down because of a published article she co-wrote in support of Kareem.

...It is due to this poem that Kareem’s appeals judge is getting her into trouble - she did nothing libelous or defamatory and was simply trying to assuage a friend while he was in prison.

Dalia: If something happens to you, the entire world is going to rebel against it, and we are willing to do everything in our power to ensure this fact. Our main mission would be to help you and Kareem."

Hear that, everyone: Dalia is being targeted because of a poem! How insane is Egypt -- freshly (sadly) appointed to the U.N. Human Rights Council -- going to get?

Dalia represents the finest future of the Arab and Muslim world. A devout Muslim, she has given her all to support the release of Kareem, who was imprisoned for insulting President Hosni Mubarak and -- the longer part of his sentence -- for insulting Islam. Dalia tells why she has given this support in spite of her personal religious convictions:

"Above all, it is Kareem’s absolute choice to be a Muslim, a Christian, a Jewish or even an atheist. Freedom of belief is one of the basic rights given to all humans. Prophet Mohammed himself never treated some one upon his/her religion. As an anti-extremism moderate Muslim I believe in human rights. Thereupon, I support Kareem’s right to express his own views the way he likes and to believe in whatever he wants.

...If Kareem criticized Islam that does not mean that he hates us personally. He only expresses his own point of view. As Muslim civilized humans all what we should do is to respond to his criticism by clarifying the falseness of his criticism from our point of view. It does not mean that we –the holders of power – should silence the minority who contradicts our beliefs. That is the Islam I always knew before some political movements such as Muslim Brotherhood Group appears to allow the shedding of the blood of Bahaists only because they have another religion and to silence some atheists like Kareem just because he has a different view. Listen up Muslim brothers and sisters, we came to life only to worship Allah and to fill universe with life, love, and prosperity. We should not waste our time in fighting with non-Muslims only because they are non-Muslims. Only Allah has the right to do this, not us"

We must give our support to this brave 25-year-old who is willing to put so much on the line to stand firmly for beliefs that are of invaluable importance in the fight for free speech and against Islamic extremism.