(EOHR/IFEX) – According to reports, on Wednesday 14 January 1998, the artistic production police confiscated two books by lawyer Khalil Abdel-Kareem. The books in question are “The Yathrib Society” (Yathrib is the old name of the town of Medina, in Saudi Arabia) and “The Rababa songs on the Companions of Prophet Mohammed.” The two books […]
(EOHR/IFEX) – According to reports, on Wednesday 14 January 1998, the
artistic production police confiscated two books by lawyer Khalil
Abdel-Kareem. The books in question are “The Yathrib Society” (Yathrib is
the old name of the town of Medina, in Saudi Arabia) and “The Rababa songs
on the Companions of Prophet Mohammed.” The two books were confiscated from
the Sina’a Publishing House. Mrs. Rawya Abdel-Azeem, director of the
publishing house, said that an officer from the Cairo artistic production
police office broke into the publishing house and seized the 15 available
copies of the two books. The officer is said to have reported that the
confiscation was ordered by the Higher State Security Prosecution which was
told by the Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy that the two books harmed the
image of the Companions of the Prophet Mohammed.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
thought and academic research
Constitution which states: “Freedom of opinion is guaranteed. Every
individual has the right to express his opinion and to publicize it verbally
or in writing or by photography or by other means within the limits of the law”
Constitution which states: “The state shall guarantee the freedom of
scientific research and literary, artistic and cultural invention and
provide the necessary means for its realization”
international commitments as a signatory party to the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, which asserts repeatedly the freedom of
opinion, expression, thought and belief.
Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy on thought, opinion and expression
Appeals To
His Excellency Mohammad Hosni Mubarak
President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Oruba Palace
Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt
Fax: +202 260 5417 / 355 5700Farouk Seif al-Naser
Minister of Justice
Lazoghly Square
Mounira, Cairo, Egypt
Fax: +202 355 5700Amir Moussa
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Cairo, Egypt
Fax: +202 574 9149General Hassan al-Alfy
Minister of the Interior
Ministry of the Interior
Al-Sheikh Rihan Street
Bab al-Louk, Cairo
Egypt
Fax: +202 355 7792Ms Nayla Gabr
The Human Rights Department
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Corniche al-Nil, Cairo, Egypt
Fax: +202 574 9808Mr Raga’ al-‘Arabi
Public Prosecutor
Dar al-Qadha al-‘Ali
Ramses Street
Cairo, EgyptDr Fathi Sorour
Speaker
The People’s Assembly
Magles al-Sha’ab Street, Cairo, Egypt
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
