Egyptian universities have witnessed a new wave of repression in recent weeks, as the country’s military rulers attempt to quell student protests. Riot police stormed Al-Azhar University in Cairo to crush demonstrations in support of deposed president Mohamed Morsi on 30 October. Alexandria, Cairo, Ain Shams and Mansoura Universities have also witnessed waves of protest…
Solidarity from the Cairo Water Company Workers’ Union for the UCU / Unite / UNISON strike on 31 October: “The Independent union of workers in the Cairo Drinking Water Company declares its solidarity with the workers’ movement in Britain and its solidarity with colleagues who are taking strike action on 31 October in the universities because…
Demonstrators marched through the streets of Cairo against new laws restricting the right to protest on Saturday 26 October. What you can do: Print out these posters [anti_protest_poster_bw and anti_protest_poster] and leaflet to distribute and send us a solidarity picture via Facebook or Twitter (@menasolidarity) Pass a resolution in your union branch condemning the anti-protest law Send a letter of protest to…
Picture: Margaret Gordon, Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year, Nadine el-Enany, Defend the Right to Protest and Susannah Mengesha, who won a case against the police ‘kettling’ of demonstrators in England recently A draft law which demands that protesters give notice of planned demonstrations, and allows the police to create exclusion zones in front of key…
Egyptian revolutionary activist and labour lawyer Haitham Mohamedain addressed hundreds of trade unionists at the Unite the Resistance ‘Organising to Win’ conference on 19 October in specially recorded video. Haitham said: “Firstly I would like to thank the comrades in the UK for the broad solidarity campaign with the Egyptian workers’ movement, as well as…
Updated 3 October: the sit-in at the Ministry of Labour was forcibly broken up by the police, but the workers are continuing their campaign for justice, organising a demonstration at the General Prosecutor’s office (above) in protest at police brutality. By Haitham Mohamedain – original Arabic here Dozens of sacked workers have begun a sit-in…
Picture: Jane Loftus from the Communication Workers’ Union Dozens of trade union leaders signed a statement in solidarity Haitham Mohamedain, the Egyptian labour lawyer and revolutionary activist who was arrested last week, during TUC Congress in Bournemouth. Activists from MENA Solidarity also raised the crackdown on Egyptian revolutionaries, opponents of the military government and the…
Egyptian labour lawyer Haitham Mohamedain gives a full account of his arrest and detention in this interview with Gigi Ibrahim. Haitham’s arrest on 5 September sparked an international campaign for his release and protests across Egypt. He thanked all those who had supported him, adding: “this amazing and powerful solidarity had the greatest impact in…
Updated 11 September – Click here for a video interview with Haitham giving full details of his arrest Labour lawyer Haitham Mohamedain has been released by Suez prosecutors without posting bail, but according to his lawyer, Ramy Ghoneim, he was read a list of very serious charges, including: “Leading and joining a secret organisation called…
By Colm Bryce, UCU activist and member of MENA Solidarity’s delegation to Cairo in November 2012 Walking around the narrow streets of Downtown Cairo with Haitham Mohamadein last November, he seemed to know and be trusted by everyone, especially activists in the emerging workers movement. Haitham is a labour and human rights lawyer, who represented…
MENA Solidarity Network 