Today's CPB Report 8.24.07

I have written an article to introduce to the Committee to Protect Bloggers (CPB). Now I will introduce you to the very great work they do.

This one is about Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman. He is a young Egyptian blogger who has been sentenced (back in February of this year) to 4 years in prison for 'contempt of religion' and 1 year for 'defaming the president of Egypt.' There is, however, a group (Free Kareem) which has been trying to free this man. Their campaign would you sign a petition, and I am asking you to do so as well. You may reach them at their site. Thank you.

If you think your freedom of speech has been infringed, listen to this:

Mideast Youth reports that Kuwaiti blogger Bashar Al-Sayegh was arrested on August 19, according to the blog Forza Kuwait. According to the blog The Kuwaiti, “Bashar Al-Sayegh was arrested and beaten yesterday by the Kuwaiti Secret Police for an anonymous comment on Bashar’s forum regarding the Amir (which was deleted).”

An update on The Kuwaiti’s post says Bashar has been released. The Kuwait confirms it and sends pictures.

This, too, is care of CPB. Now on to one of those friendly allies: Turkey.

Wordpress Blocked in Turkey.

According to Matt Mullenweg, the founder of the Wordpress blogging platform, the hosted version of the program, Wordpress.com, has been blocked in Turkey.

It looks as though a law suit brought against a Turkish internet company by an individual resulted in allegedly libelous material being brought down by a wholesale blocking of the popular platform.

This is still very odd. Some say it was on purpose, others an accident. Some say the military was involved, some say an Islamic creationist.

Nice guys, eh? All of you people using WordPress have cause to be as upset as I am. So you did not think they could come after you because you are in America?

Tips to CPB.

If you become aware of a threat to a blogger, or of the action of a government that is likely to have an effect on blogging, please let us know. Also, if you have been called in for questioning, let us know and indicate whether you would like us to post on it, or to have a post ready in the eventuality that you do not return home by a certain time. We have done this for bloggers in the past.

Please do not wait until there is no one left to help you before you respond...