kewell
Spitzen-Poster
Morsy Is the Arab World's Mandela
Why we must stand and support the Muslim Brotherhood's fight for democracy.
BY TAWAKKOL KARMAN | AUGUST 9, 2013
Soon after the military coup that deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy, I announced that I would join the pro-Morsy demonstration outside of Cairo's Rabaa al-Adaweya square. My home is in Sanaa, Yemen, but all of us who placed our hopes in the Arab Spring have a stake in what happens in Egypt: I wished to protest the killing, forcible disappearance, and jailing of coup opponents -- crimes that have been met with terrible silence from human rights activists and political elites. Not only have such figures refused to condemn such violations of freedom, they have given their blessing and justified such measures.
I declared publiclythat I was going to Rabaa al-Adaweya to defend the gains of the Jan. 25, 2011, revolution -- freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the right of the people to select their rulers. For my activism, I have been the target of a massive incitement campaign by the pro-coup media: Regime supporters have threatened me with death, even to put me on trial for spying and interfering in Egyptian affairs.
On Aug. 4, I arrived at Cairo airport with my friend Bushra al-Serabi, the executive director of Women Journalists Without Chains, to fulfill my pledge. I had all the possible scenarios in mind: I thought the Egyptian authoritiesmight grant me entry and then attack me later in the street, or worse, fulfill their threats by arresting, killing, or prosecuting me.
It was an exciting trip, although it didn't end as I wished. Or begin, to be honest. Upon arriving at the airport, I stood in line to complete the usual visa process. A few minutes later, one officer in the airport recognized me and asked me to go to a special counter where they complete the entry procedures for bearers of diplomatic passports.
At that moment, an unusual commotion began: The officers' phones would not stop ringing, and I heard one of them whispering on the phone about me. "Tawakkol came! Tawakkol came! We won't let her in," he said, as if I was a very dangerous person.
The Egyptian officers informed me that I would be denied entry, and I was soon deported back to Yemen on the same plane on which I had arrived. The authorities gave me no clear answer why: Theysaid that I knew the reason for my deportation better than them, and that my name had been blacklisted based on the request of a security body.
Unfortunately, it is impossible for me to stand in person with the protesters outside Rabaa al-Adaweya square to echo their legitimate demands. We shouldn't be ashamed of standing by people who dream of democracy, justice, and a life with dignity -- this is our duty. Egypt's current regime has ousted the first elected president in the country's history, suspended a constitution that won 60 percent support in a referendum, and completely excluded the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party from political life. There are limited options for those of us who care about Egypt's future: We can either side with civil values and democracy, or with military rule, tyranny, and coercion.
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Tawakkul Karman: Ägypten lässt Friedensnobelpreis-Trägerin nicht einreisen
Tawakkul Karman: Ägyptens Sicherheitskräfte hinderten sie an der Einreise
Sie ist eines der Gesichter des Arabischen Frühlings: Tawakkul Karman bekam 2011 den Friedensnobelpreis für ihren Einsatz für Menschenrechte. Doch Kairos Sicherheitskräfte lassen die Frau aus dem Jemen jetzt nicht nach Ägypten einreisen.
Das Einreiseverbot für Karman ist von hoher Symbolik: Im Dezember 2011 hatte sie den Friedensnobelpreis erhalten - zusammen mit Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf und Leymah Gbowee, beide aus Liberia, für ihren Einsatz für Frauenrechte. Karman gilt als eines der Gesichter des Arabischen Frühlings. Im Jemen hatte sie sich für eine Demokratisierung starkgemacht. Die Absetzung des Islamisten Mohammed Mursi in Ägypten durch das Militär nach Massenprotesten hatte Karman stark kritisiert. Sie war Ende Juli für ein paar Tage nach Kairo gereist, um das Protestlager der Islamisten zu besuchen. "Es gibt zwei Optionen: Entweder scheitert der Putsch oder der Arabische Frühling", schrieb sie am Donnerstag auf ihrer Facebook-Seite. Nun wollte sie offenbar erneut nach Ägypten einreisen.
Ägypten lässt Friedensnobelpreis-Trägerin Karman nicht einreisen - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Why we must stand and support the Muslim Brotherhood's fight for democracy.
BY TAWAKKOL KARMAN | AUGUST 9, 2013
Soon after the military coup that deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy, I announced that I would join the pro-Morsy demonstration outside of Cairo's Rabaa al-Adaweya square. My home is in Sanaa, Yemen, but all of us who placed our hopes in the Arab Spring have a stake in what happens in Egypt: I wished to protest the killing, forcible disappearance, and jailing of coup opponents -- crimes that have been met with terrible silence from human rights activists and political elites. Not only have such figures refused to condemn such violations of freedom, they have given their blessing and justified such measures.
I declared publiclythat I was going to Rabaa al-Adaweya to defend the gains of the Jan. 25, 2011, revolution -- freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the right of the people to select their rulers. For my activism, I have been the target of a massive incitement campaign by the pro-coup media: Regime supporters have threatened me with death, even to put me on trial for spying and interfering in Egyptian affairs.
On Aug. 4, I arrived at Cairo airport with my friend Bushra al-Serabi, the executive director of Women Journalists Without Chains, to fulfill my pledge. I had all the possible scenarios in mind: I thought the Egyptian authoritiesmight grant me entry and then attack me later in the street, or worse, fulfill their threats by arresting, killing, or prosecuting me.
It was an exciting trip, although it didn't end as I wished. Or begin, to be honest. Upon arriving at the airport, I stood in line to complete the usual visa process. A few minutes later, one officer in the airport recognized me and asked me to go to a special counter where they complete the entry procedures for bearers of diplomatic passports.
At that moment, an unusual commotion began: The officers' phones would not stop ringing, and I heard one of them whispering on the phone about me. "Tawakkol came! Tawakkol came! We won't let her in," he said, as if I was a very dangerous person.
The Egyptian officers informed me that I would be denied entry, and I was soon deported back to Yemen on the same plane on which I had arrived. The authorities gave me no clear answer why: Theysaid that I knew the reason for my deportation better than them, and that my name had been blacklisted based on the request of a security body.
Unfortunately, it is impossible for me to stand in person with the protesters outside Rabaa al-Adaweya square to echo their legitimate demands. We shouldn't be ashamed of standing by people who dream of democracy, justice, and a life with dignity -- this is our duty. Egypt's current regime has ousted the first elected president in the country's history, suspended a constitution that won 60 percent support in a referendum, and completely excluded the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party from political life. There are limited options for those of us who care about Egypt's future: We can either side with civil values and democracy, or with military rule, tyranny, and coercion.
----------------------------------------------
Tawakkul Karman: Ägypten lässt Friedensnobelpreis-Trägerin nicht einreisen
Tawakkul Karman: Ägyptens Sicherheitskräfte hinderten sie an der Einreise
Sie ist eines der Gesichter des Arabischen Frühlings: Tawakkul Karman bekam 2011 den Friedensnobelpreis für ihren Einsatz für Menschenrechte. Doch Kairos Sicherheitskräfte lassen die Frau aus dem Jemen jetzt nicht nach Ägypten einreisen.
Das Einreiseverbot für Karman ist von hoher Symbolik: Im Dezember 2011 hatte sie den Friedensnobelpreis erhalten - zusammen mit Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf und Leymah Gbowee, beide aus Liberia, für ihren Einsatz für Frauenrechte. Karman gilt als eines der Gesichter des Arabischen Frühlings. Im Jemen hatte sie sich für eine Demokratisierung starkgemacht. Die Absetzung des Islamisten Mohammed Mursi in Ägypten durch das Militär nach Massenprotesten hatte Karman stark kritisiert. Sie war Ende Juli für ein paar Tage nach Kairo gereist, um das Protestlager der Islamisten zu besuchen. "Es gibt zwei Optionen: Entweder scheitert der Putsch oder der Arabische Frühling", schrieb sie am Donnerstag auf ihrer Facebook-Seite. Nun wollte sie offenbar erneut nach Ägypten einreisen.
Ägypten lässt Friedensnobelpreis-Trägerin Karman nicht einreisen - SPIEGEL ONLINE
