Alber Saber

On 11 September 2012, a large protest took place at the US Embassy in Cairo against Innocence of Muslims, which had been created by an Egyptian Coptic Christian living in the US. On 12 September, Alber Saber's home was surrounded by a crowd calling for his death for heresy and atheism. The crowd attempted to break down the door, and also threatened to burn down the house.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/egyptian-blogger-alber-sabers-arrest-shows-differences-over-freedom-of-speech/2012/09/26/b5cfb272-07dd-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_story.html |title=Egyptian blogger Alber Saber's arrest underlines differences on freedom of speech |author=William Booth |date=26 September 2012 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url-status=live |archive-date=1 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001134408/http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/egyptian-blogger-alber-sabers-arrest-shows-differences-over-freedom-of-speech/2012/09/26/b5cfb272-07dd-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_story.html |access-date=5 October 2012 }} Saber's mother called the police for protection, and Saber was arrested by them the following day. Saber later stated that a police officer incited other prisoners to attack him in detention; he was beaten and cut on the neck with a razor. According to Amnesty International, Saber's home, where his mother and sister also live, continues to be the scene of angry protests.

Police confiscated Saber's computer, but found no evidence that he had uploaded the video in question.{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-5db7a1a0924645d0a3c467365ec271e7.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203202943/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1A1-5db7a1a0924645d0a3c467365ec271e7.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 February 2016 |title=Egyptian boys detained for alleged Quran defiling |author=Sarah El Deeb |date=3 October 2012 |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=5 October 2012}} Instead, Saber was charged with "defamation of Islam and Christianity, insulting the divine and satirizing religious rituals and sanctities and the prophets under articles 98, 160 and 161 of the Egyptian Penal Code", with a maximum sentence of six years' imprisonment. The prosecution stated that Saber had "promoted his extremist thoughts in speech and writings by creating web pages, including [the] 'Crazy dictator' and 'Egyptian atheists' [pages]."{{cite web|url=http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/blogger-put-trial-insulting-religion |title=Blogger put on trial for insulting religion |author=Al-Masry Al-Youm |date=24 September 2012 |work=Egypt Independent |url-status=live |archive-date=29 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029031435/http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/blogger-put-trial-insulting-religion |access-date=5 October 2012 }} In a hearing on Saber's initial detention, a prosecutor told the court that Saber had insulted Muhammad, Jesus, Mary, Gabriel, and "God himself."{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-303463375.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117201136/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-303463375.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 November 2018 |title=Judge keeps Saber in prison |date=26 September 2012 |work=Daily News Egypt |access-date=5 October 2012}} Saber's lawyers stated that Saber did not post the video and is innocent of the charges. One of his lawyers described the case as simply "a way to defuse the people's anger".

Reuters described the case as raising "concerns over freedom of expression".{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/25/alber-saber-blasphemy_n_1911103.html |title=Alber Saber To Face Trial For Blasphemy In Egypt |agency=Reuters |date=24 September 2012 |work=The Huffington Post |author=Tamim Elyan and Ali Abdelattai |url-status=live |archive-date=1 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001193739/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/25/alber-saber-blasphemy_n_1911103.html |access-date=5 October 2012 }} The case also drew protest from several NGOs. Amnesty International designated Saber a prisoner of conscience, "detained solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression", and called for his protection and immediate release. Reporters Without Borders condemned the arrest as "censorship".{{cite web |url=http://en.rsf.org/censorship-of-anti-islamic-video-20-09-2012,43414.html |title=Censorship of anti-Islamic video – collateral effects on online freedom of information |date=26 September 2012 |publisher=Reporters Without Borders |archive-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009134311/http://en.rsf.org/censorship-of-anti-islamic-video-20-09-2012,43414.html |access-date=5 October 2012 }} Eight human rights organizations filed a complaint on Saber's behalf demanding that his torture allegations be investigated.

On 12 December 2012, Saber was found guilty and sentenced to three years' imprisonment.{{cite web |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/12/12/254705.html |title=Egyptian Copt Alber Saber jailed for blasphemy |date=12 December 2012 |work=Al-Arabiya |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=13 December 2012 |agency=Reuters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213020517/http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/12/12/254705.html |url-status=dead }} He was allowed to appeal if he first paid $167 bail.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20695992 |title=Egypt court jails blogger Alber Saber for blasphemy |date=12 December 2012 |work=BBC News |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=13 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213125502/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20695992 |url-status=live }} Though the bail was paid, police returned him to prison.{{cite web|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2012/1212/Insulting-religion-Blasphemy-sentence-in-Egypt-sends-a-chill |title='Insulting religion': Blasphemy sentence in Egypt sends a chill |author=Kristen Chick |date=December 12, 2012 |work=Christian Science Monitor |access-date=13 December 2012 |archive-date=14 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214022321/http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2012/1212/Insulting-religion-Blasphemy-sentence-in-Egypt-sends-a-chill |url-status=live }} Amnesty International condemned the sentence as "an outrageous assault on freedom of expression".{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/news/egypt-outrageous-guilty-verdict-blasphemy-case-assault-free-expression-2012-12-12 |title=Egypt: 'Outrageous' guilty verdict in blasphemy case an assault on free expression |date=12 December 2012 |publisher=Amnesty International |access-date=12 December 2012 |archive-date=14 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214154205/http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/egypt-outrageous-guilty-verdict-blasphemy-case-assault-free-expression-2012-12-12 |url-status=live }}

On 26 January 2013, Saber was released for an appeal session and subsequently left Egypt.{{cite web |url=http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/01/27/alber-saber-brotherhood-will-drive-the-people-to-secularism/ |title=Alber Saber: Brotherhood will drive the people to secularism |date=27 January 2013 |work=Daily News Egypt |access-date=20 December 2013 }}

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Category:1980s births

Category:Living people

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Category:Egyptian bloggers

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Category:Egyptian prisoners and detainees

Category:Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by Egypt

Category:Critics of Islam

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)