someone should also point out that while karim is facing trail for supposedly defaming Islam, not a single person is facing trail for all the violent attacks against churches that happened last year including the one Karim personally witnessed, apparently burning churches and stabbing nuns does not part of that bigotry that society should be protected from.

and maybe also point out that the same “independant” legal mechanisms where used again Naguib Mahfouz and Nasr Hamid Abo Zeid before, I’m sure he’ll enjoy explaining to us how it all makes sense.

it is true that the regime is not the main actor against karim, it is true that he his prosecutor and judge are not directly controlled by the state and are acting independently, that does not mean the state is not responsible, the legal framework that allows this to happen was created by the ruling party as a way to protect its power, the fact that we can’t hold the judge and prosecutor accountable for their grave violations of Karim’s rights is because the state won’t allow a true independent judiciary with clear and transparent mechanisms of accountability and professional integrity.

and finally it is the general prosecutors office that decides which cases are worth taking to court and which cases are not, which cases are worth wasting court time and tax payer money on and which cases are not, and the general prosecutor is appointed by the president or the minister of justice, it is very well known that state security has the final say on who gets to be general prosecutor and it is the regime that makes sure this post remains by appointment instead of being contested in elections (either within the judicial community or withing the populace).

in fact the regime has put 6 bloggers along with 700 activists in jail before for daring to speak in solidarity with the judges fighting for their independence.

and it doesn’t stop here, why is Al Azhar such a shity university in the first place, because the regime insists on controlling universities, and violently crushing any attempts to organize students, denying academic freedom, college deans are appointed, university heads are appointed, student union elections are rigged and it’s all by direct orders from the laughing cow Mubarak and his dogs at state security.

if Mr. Haggag thinks Karim’s case is somehow isolated from all that, he should find another job. or maybe he thinks American readers are clueless about all this, if that’s true then Tom that calls for a few more articles about Egypt.