The retrial of jailed Egyptian blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad was postponed this week, sparking anger and protest.
Maikel has been imprisoned since 28 March for his criticism of the military government, however, his original sentencing was overturned on appeal. Despite the dubious nature of the charges, the Supreme Council has repeatedly postponed his retrial and refuses to release Maikel on bail. He has now been in jail for seven months, and spent the last 60 days on a hunger strike.
When questioned on the delay, military officials responded: “As soon as we figure out how to make him guilty we will have a trial. We’re doing the best we can.”
Critics argue that the Supreme Council’s repression of the media bears an uncanny resemblance to the strong arm tactics used by Mubarak’s regime. Earlier this week, a military spokesperson responded: “Look, you can’t just quit despotism cold turkey.”