A strong secularist and a believer in individual liberties, Kareem Amer is a blogger whose online profile outlines his commitment to “defend[ing] the rights of Muslim and Arabic women against all form of discrimination and to stop[ping] violent crimes committed on a daily basis” in some Muslim countries.
In pursuit of this objective, Kareem has used his website to speak out against gender inequality at his university (Al-Azhar University in Cairo) and criticize what he sees as the negative influence of Islam on Egyptian society. For this, the brave writer found himself expelled, chased by knife-wielding thugs while security officials stood aside, referred to the public prosecutor, charged, convicted, and sentenced to four years in prison for “inciting hatred of Islam” and “insulting” President Hosni Mubarak. Needless to say, freedom of expression is under attack in Egypt.
Since then, the case has spurred a global movement calling for his safe release and for free speech in general. Western media outlets, including the Washington Post, Le Monde, the Globe and Mail, Der Speigel, and many others have embraced Kareem’s cause by publicizing his tragic story. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Reporters Without Borders have condemned his imprisonment and are currently lobbying the Egyptian government for his release. Politicians from Italy and the U.S. have also joined the effort by sending official letters to Cairo calling for Kareem to be pardoned.
But perhaps the most compelling sign of the universal nature of free speech has come from the Muslim region itself. In light of U.S. foreign policy in the area, it may be easy to dismiss Kareem as an anomaly in the Middle East-a homegrown crusader of sorts, trying to impose Western concepts of individual rights on an Eastern civilization. He even once claimed that “Islam’s dirty finger will be found behind every catastrophic event to humanity.” But despite Kareem’s sometimes hateful views, it would be a mistake to believe that his love of free speech is not grounded in good ideals and reflected in those around him.
Some of Kareem’s most vocal and hardest-working supporters have been exactly those he offended with his opinions. The website (freekareem.org) responsible for much of his publicity is a perfect example. Site organizers state that “the creators and main supporters of the Free Kareem campaign are Muslim, and we are doing this despite what Kareem said about our religion. Free speech doesn’t mean ‘speech that you approve of.’ It includes criticism.”
Kareem’s imprisonment has even drawn support from the Muslim Brotherhood, a conservative Islamic group. Despite different worldviews, one of their journalists recently said that “this security practice is unjust… punishing [Kareem], or punishing others having their opinions, will not succeed in changing their ideas.” The natural right to free expression clearly crosses ideological and cultural grounds.
To the dismay of the Egyptian government, the case has now become an important symbol of human freedom. Despite the gross injustice committed against him, Kareem has created an opportunity for bottom-up democratic reform by encouraging others to stand up with him. The internet is increasingly being effectively used as a tool to communicate political ideas in an area of the world where mainstream discourse is often controlled by the state.
Tom Palmer, director of the Byrne Project on Middle East Liberty and a close friend to Kareem, believes this is a key moment for the region.
“In every society, brave people have to struggle for their freedom, and the Middle East is no different. Arabs-and especially Arab Muslims-are taking the initiative to defend their precious right not to be arrested, imprisoned, or subjected to violence for expressing their views.”
Kareem’s message, however, should not be limited to Egypt, or the Middle East. Freedom of speech is constantly under attack from governments around the world. Countries like China, Russia, and Venezuela combat undesired expression with a range of tools, from restrictive licensing policies to state-owned ISPs and media outlets.
Even in Canada, some MPs recently recommended that the government make it illegal to “glorify” terrorism. When the major liberal democracies of the world limit freedom of speech like this, they appear hypocritical and lose their moral high ground when dealing with some of the more major perpetrators.
In honour of Kareem and the sacrifices he made fighting for the right to express himself, I ask that we never take for granted the freedoms we enjoy here in Canada. I urge you all to visit the website (freekareem.org) and see what you can do to help.
