Mahmood Al Yusuf, a local blogger, has condemned the imprisonment of Abdel Kareem Nabila, a blogger, in Egypt for allegedly insulting the state. He felt this was a retrograde step and violated all norms of personal freedom. Governments in the region, he said, had to learn to live with criticism which was not usually aimed at an individual but rather at the system.
Mahmood said, “I think in a democracy citizens have a right to discuss topics which were previously off limits and governments should not control thought. The Internet is free and what has happened is unfortunate.†Mahmood is named in a defamation case filed by the minister of municipalities and agriculture, Mansoour Bin Rajab. The minister took offence to certain comments made on his blog which he claimed made fun of him.
Bahrain Tribune :: 23 Feb ’07