국제앰네스티는 시나이(Sinai) 반도 내 수천 개 이상의 가정이강제철거 되는 것에 반대하는 시위를 했다는 이유로 체포돼 3년간 재판 없이 구금돼있던 베두인족 이집트인권활동가 블로거의석방소식을 환영했다.무사드 술리만 하산후세인(MusaadSuliman HassanHussein), 필명 무사드 아부 파그르(Musaad Abu Fagr)는 13일 카이로 인근 아부 자발(Abu Zaabal) 교도소에서 풀려났다. 후세인은 그의 석방을 지시하는 판결이 수 차례 있었음에도 국가비상법 하에서 계속 구금돼왔다.
국제앰네스티 하시바하지 사라위(HassibaHadj Sahraoui) 중동및 북아프리카 부국장은 “무사드 아부 파그르의 석방소식을 환영하지만, 이집트당국은 표현의 자유를평화적으로 행사했다는 이유만으로 구금돼고통받고 있는 모든 양심수들을 석방해야 한다”고 말했다.
무사드 아부 파그르는지난 2007년 12월 26일 그가 공동설립자로있는 베두인 권리 단체인 웨드나 나이쉬(Wedna Na’ish: 우리는 살고 싶다)의 시위가 있은 후 체포됐다.
그는 “시위 선동”,“당국에 대한 저항”,“공무집행방해” 등의혐의로 기소됐다.
2008년 2월 15일 이스마일리아(Ismailia)항소 법원이 그의 석방을 지시했으나, 이집트 내무부는 1981년부터 내려진 비상사태를 이용해 행정명령으로 그를 계속적으로구금해왔다.
무사드 아부 파그르의변호인은 법원으로부터 18개의 석방 명령을 얻어냈으나, 이는행정적 구금 명령으로 모두 번복됐다. 사라위 부국장은 “이집트 당국이 무사드아부 파그르의 석방을지시한 수많은 법원판결을 무시했다는 점이 매우 안타깝다”고 말했다. 무사드 아부 파그르는자신의 석방을 위해캠페인을 벌여왔던 국제앰네스티에 감사의뜻을 전하면서 “국제앰네스티의 지지가 나의 석방에 큰 도움이됐고, 여러분이 전해준 편지로 인해 연대감을 가질 수 있었다”고 말했다. 
Egypt releasesBedouin rightsactivist
14 July 2010
AmnestyInternational haswelcomed the releaseof an EgyptianBedouin blogger and activist, who was held in detentionwithout trial foralmost three yearsover protestsagainst thedemolition of thousands of homes in the SinaiPeninsula.
Musaad SulimanHassan Hussein, alsoknown by his penname Musaad AbuFagr, was released from Abu Zaabal Prison, nearCairo, on Tuesday.He had been heldunder emergency lawsdespite repeated court rulings ordering hisrelease.
“Musaad Abu Fagr’srelease is welcomenews but theEgyptian authoritiesmust now release all other prisoners ofconscience, withmany stilllanguishing inadministrativedetention solely for
the peaceful exercise of theirright to freedom ofexpression,” saidHassiba HadjSahraoui, Deputy Director of theMiddle East and NorthAfrica Programme ofAmnestyInternational.
Musaad Abu Fagr wasarrested on 26December 2007followingdemonstrations ledby Wedna Na’ish (We Want to Live) aBedouin rightsmovement heco-founded.
He was accused of”inciting others toprotest”, “resistingthe authorities” and”assaulting public officers during the exerciseof their duties”.
During the 2007demonstrations,several thousandprotesters clashedviolently with the security forces in the village ofal-Masoura, betweenthe north Sinaitowns of Rafah andal-Arish near the border with the Gaza Strip.
The demonstratorswere also demandingpermits to buildhouses, ownership ofthe farmland they worked
and the release ofBedouin who had beendetained withoutcharge or trialafter bomb attacks in Taba, Sharm al-Sheikh andDahab between 2004and 2006.
In July, one teenagedemonstrator diedfrom gunshot woundsand dozens of otherswere injured.
Following his arrestin December 2007,Musaad Abu Fagr washeld at Borg al-ArabPrison near Alexandria.
On 15 February 2008,following an appealby Musaad Abu Fagr’slawyers against him being remanded in custody to awaittrial, the IsmailiaAppeals Courtordered his release.
However, using itspowers under thestate of emergencythat has been inforce in Egypt since 1981, the Ministry of Interiorissued anadministrative orderto detain himfurther.
His lawyers lodged acomplaint with theSupreme (Emergency)State SecurityCourt, which ordered his release.
The Ministry ofInterior appealedand, on 12 May 2008,another courtconfirmed the release order. However, Musaad AbuFagr was issued withanotheradministrativedetention order.
In total, Musaad AbuFagr’s lawyersobtained 18 courtorders for hisrelease but each time, Musaad Abu Fagr was served withanotheradministrativedetention order.
“It is regrettablethat it took theauthorities chose toignore the numerouscourt decisions ordering the release of MusaadAbu Fagr for solong,” said HassibaHadj Sahraoui.
As a result ofunsanitaryconditions, MusaadAbu Fagr developedan abscess on hisfoot in Borg al-Arab Prison, where he washeld for a year.
The prisonauthorities providedno medical treatmentbut a fellow inmate,a doctor, performed thesurgery without anaesthetic.
Musaad Abu Fagrrecovered thanks tohis family andlawyer, who broughthim medication to prevent infection.
Musaad Abu Fagr hasthanked AmnestyInternational forits campaigning forhis release, “Amnesty International’ssupport is one ofthe reasons that Iwas released,” hetold the organization, “your messages gave me asense ofsolidarity”.
