The prominent Egypt blogger Wael Abbas has been sentenced 6 months in jail and LE 500 pounds (92 USD) as a judiciary bail, as a lawsuit was filed against him by a citizen and his police officer brother on charges of damaging an internet cable! Wael was ruled in absentia last November.

The Arab Network for Human Rights, who has been offering the legal support for Al-Wa'I Al-Masri editor, Wael Abbas, clarifies in a statement that the man who filled this lawsuit, was the same doer of another violation against the blogger:

Officer Aglan, of Cairo tourist police force, and his brother Ahmed Aglan raided Wael Abbas house and beat him up leading to several injuries on his body and a broken tooth. The officer abused his connections such that his brother would report Wael for damaging the brother’s internet cable

The public prosecutor has filed the complaint submitted by Wael Abbas in April 2009 after he had been physically assaulted by a police officer and his brother. The complaint was concluded allegedly for insufficient evidence despite the presence of three medical reports including a forensic record of injuries and despite that one of Wael’s teeth got broken.

Ta3beer (Expression) Blog reveals more informations about other harassments Wael Abbas has faced:

Until some months ago, Abbas had generally been left to operate with limited interference or intimidation from authorities. However, he has been subjected to steadily increasing curtailment as he faced annoyances every time he entered or left Egypt

As Abbas was receiving this bad news; Amnesty international called for the immediate and unconditional release of blogger Hani Nazeer, a prisoner of conscience. Nazeer, a Coptic Christian and blogger from Qina (Upper Egypt) has been detained since October 2008, This was after residents of Qina denounced him for posting on his blog the cover of a book they deemed insulting to Muslims.

AI called on the Ministry of Interior to release Nazir, and condemned his administrative detention:

Amnesty International urges the Interior Minister to respect the court decision to release Hani Nazeer and to immediately order the release from administrative detention of all those who are detained under the Emergency Law for whom release orders have been issued by the court. The Minister should also stop misusing emergency powers to curb the right to freedom of expression

It is expected that Hani Nazeer will remain in Borg al-Arab Prison until a new administrative detention order is issued against him, as has been the case since his arrest in late 2008.