Mounir Marzuq: Egyptian Poet Jailed For Poking Fun At Mubarak

An Egyptian civil servant was sentenced to the maximum sentence of three years in jail Tuesday for a poem he wrote satirizing President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power since 1981, the AFP reports. The penalty for insulting a head of state in Egypt is a jail sentence of anywhere between 24 hours and 3 years. According to AFP:

Marzuq was jailed in Maghagha, southern Egypt, in May after a colleague lodged a formal complaint about the poem deemed insulting to Mubarak, in power since 1981.

The case came to light after the penalised poet's brother appealed to the 81-year-old Mubarak for clemency, the independent Al-Masri Al-Youm reported.

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Comments

[gakabani]

SO much for Democracy, Obama should send a letter to the pathetic Mubarak and tell him to re-read his speech. Mubarak is a dictator and a killer that steals from all Egyptians.

[akashm]

Before promoting democracy everywhere, President should promote democracy in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Just because they have oil (except Egypt) that doesn't mean they can be tyrants. Mubarak is promoting his son vigorously, it will be the same for a long time in Egypt.

[Judyisacutie]

For sentencing a guy for 3 years for a poem, he deserves to be made fun of. Only a true chump is that insecure that he allows people to be locked up for three years because he's not man enough to take a joke.

[Mike Barden]

But Spock makes fun of himself.

[Zheegool]

The world stood by as the Iranian regime instigated a coup in 2005 and and was left totally behind events in 2009. http://tiny.cc/QElYo
It can avoid the same tragedy in Egypt by taking the initiative today to pressure Mubarak against putting his son as his heir and replacement.
Otherwise this travesty will occcur and Egyptians will be left living for another generation under dictatorship.

[am5454]

You are an ignorant person for comparing Ahmadinejad's election win with Mubarak's heirship by blood.

[Zheegool]

For your info - I was not trying to compare Ahmadinejads election to Mobaraks heirship (though I concede could have been clearer). I was trying to compare the inept policy reaction of the free world to key turning point events and suggest governments need to be proactive to pressure these oppressive regimes (both regimes are contemptible) and support of their peoples in their struggle for freedom and democracy.