Egypt - Jailed bloggers brother harassed for supporting him

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Reporters Without Borders condemns attempts to intimidate detained blogger Maikel Nabil Sanadâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s brother, Mark Sanad, who says he has been threatened with imprisonment because of his public support for Maikel. The press freedom organization reiterates its call for the detained netizenâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s immediate release and urges the authorities to renounce the use of intimidatory methods worthy of the Mubarak era. After visiting his brother in prison on 20 September, Mark Sanad said: â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}156;I was threatened with being detained if I do not keep quiet and stop defending my brother. I will not stop. Let them detain me. I have no problem with that.â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}157; The authorities also allegedly hid drugs in his bag with the apparent aim of charging him with drug trafficking. Mark Sanad said that his brotherâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s health is worsening, that he has already lost more than 12 kilos in weight after going on hunger strike, and that he is refusing to go to the prison infirmary. Mark added that he feared his brother will not hold out until his appeal, which is due to be heard on 4 October. A peaceful march was staged on 19 September to demand Maikel Nabil Sanadâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s release and an end to trials of civilians before military courts. The march started at Cairoâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s Tahrir Square. The bloggerâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s father, Nabil Sanad, has received no reply to the seven letters he has so far sent to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to request his sonâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s release. He says he will take the Egyptian authorities before the International Court of Justice if his son dies in detention. Reporters Without Borders would encourage such an initiative. Jailed blogger resumes hunger strike, in critical condition again17 September 2011 While the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces threatens to use the state of emergency law against all journalists who â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}156;endanger social peace,â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}157; the blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad¸ Egyptâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s first prison of conscience since the revolution, is still in prison, has reportedly resumed his hunger strike and is in a critical physical condition again. â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}156;We urge the Supreme Council to release Sanad and all the other prisoners of conscience at once,â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}157; Reporters Without Borders said. â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}156;A security policy involving the jailing of journalists and bloggers convicted by military courts is steadily undermining hopes of a democratic transition in Egypt.â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}157; According to the information obtained by Reporters Without Borders, Sanad has resumed his hunger strike and is again refusing to drink. In messages to his brother on 13 and 14 September, he reportedly said he was â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}156;unable to leave bed nowâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}157; and suffered â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}156;loss of visionâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}157; as soon as he stood up. Sanad has also denied telling the prison authorities that he wanted no more visits. â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}156;Do not believe so much the army officers or the military judges, because they lie too much,â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}157; he wrote. â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}156;I am not refusing visits and I strongly need them.â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}157; His brother and presidential candidate Bothaina Kamel are among the people who have repeatedly tried to visit him in Cairoâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s Al-Marg prison. â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}156;I wanted to see [you], but the prison administration were the ones to refuse.â&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}157; Arrested on 28 March for denouncing human rights violations and the militaryâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s close relationship with the government in his blog (http://www.maikelnabil.com), Sanad was sentenced to three years in prison by a military court on 10 April. He began a hunger strike on 23 August and stopped drinking a week later. He was rushed to the prison infirmary on 3 September. After being hospitalized, Sanad let it be known that he was determined to resume his hunger strike and stop drinking against regardless of the outcome. Reporters Without Borders urges the Supreme Council to free Sanad without delay, so that it is not held responsible for the bloggerâ&${esc.hash}128;&${esc.hash}153;s death in detention.