Wednesday 2 November 2011

Translation of article by detained Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah


A Return To Mubarak's Prisons 

I did not expect that the very same experience would be repeated after five years, after a revolution in which we have ousted the tyrant, I go back to jail?

The memories of being incarcerated have returned, all the details, from the skills of being able to sleep on the floor with eight colleagues in a small cell (2 x 4 meters) to the songs and discussions of the inmates. But I am completely unable to remember how I secured my glasses while asleep. They was trampled upon three times in one day. I realize suddenly that they are the very same pair I had when I was jailed in 2006, and that I am imprisoned, now, pending investigation under similar flimsy accusations  and reasons of that incarceration, the only difference is that we have exchanged State Security prosecution with military prosecution: a change fitting to the military moment we are living.

The previous time, I was joined in detention by 50 colleagues from the Kefaya movement, but on this occasion I am alone, together with eight wrongly accused, the guilty is as wronged as the innocent.

As soon as they realized that I was from the "Youth of the Revolution" they started cursing at the revolution and how it failed in "sorting out" the Interior Ministry. I spent the first two days only listening to stories of torture by the hands of the police that is not only adamant on resisting reform, but is seeking revenge for being defeated by the downtrodden, the guilty and the innocent.

From their stories I discover the truth of the great achievements of the restoration of security. Two of my colleagues are seeing jail for the first time, simple youth without a grain of violence and their accusation is? Forming a gang. Indeed, Abu Malik alone is an armed gang unto himself. Now I understand what the Interior Ministry means when it reports that it has caught armed gangs. I congratulate us for the restoration of security then.

In the following few hours, sunlight will enter our always dim cell, we read creative Arabic engravings of a former colleague, four walls from floor to ceiling covered in Quran, prayers, supplications, thoughts and what appear to be the will of a tyrant to repent.

The next day we discover in the corner the date of the inmate's execution and we are overwhelmed by tears.

The guilty plan on repenting, but the innocent do not know what to do to avoid a similar fate.

I stray from them in the radio, listening to the speech of his Excellency the General inaugurating the tallest flag in the world, one which will certainly enter the record books. And I wonder: Was the inclusion of the name of the martyr Mina Daniel as one of the instigators in my case also a record in audacity? On the basis of it not being sufficient for them to be first to kill the victim and to walk in the funeral but also to spit on the corpse and accuse it of a crime?

Or perhaps this cell can win the record of the number of cockroaches? My thoughts are interrupted by Abu Mailk: "I swear to God Almighty, if the wronged was not absolved, this revolution will not succeed."

The third day, 1/11/2011
Cell 19, Prison of Appeal, Bab Al Khalq
Alaa Abdel Fattah (@Alaa)

Translated by Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi from the Arabic version that appeared in the Egyptian newspaper Shorouk on November 2nd 2011.

29 comments:

machahir123 said...

Thank you for your translation of this great article. but in Arabic gives more emotions than English. but you did a great job.
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Ciantic said...

I wanted to congratulate you for translating this. Your translation seems to be more readable than the one in Guardian.

Real question now is: When will the Egyptians revolt again?

مواطنة مصرية said...

Here u r ,a spanish translation to Alaa's letter as a small contribution :
Un regreso a las cárceles de Mubarak


No me esperaba que la misma experiencia se repetirá después de cinco años, después de una revolución en la que hemos derrocado al tirano, que vuelvo a la cárcel?


Los recuerdos de haber sido encarcelados han retornado, todos los detalles, desde las habilidades de ser capaz de dormir en el suelo con ocho colegas en una celda pequeña (2 x 4 metros), a las canciones y conversaciones de los presos. Pero yo soy totalmente incapaz de recordar cómo guardaba mis lentes mientras dormia. Que fueron pisoteado tres veces en un día. Me doy cuenta ,de repente ,de que son la pareja misma que tenía cuando fue encarcelado en 2006, y que estoy preso, ahora, en espera de la investigación bajo las mismas acusaciones endebles y las razones de ese carcelamiento.la única diferencia es que hemos cambiado el enjuiciamiento de Seguridad del Estado con juicio militar: un cambio apropiado para el momento militar que estamos viviendo.


La vez anterior, me reuní en la detención con 50 compañeros del movimiento Kefaya"Basta" Pero en esta ocasión,Yo estoy solo, con ocho acusados injustamente, el culpable es tan agraviado como a los inocentes.


Al realizar que yo era uno de los "jóvenes de la revolución" empezaron a insultar a la revolución y cómo no podia dislover El Ministerio del Interior. Pasé los primeros dos días sólo escuchando las historias de tortura a manos de la policía que no sólo es inflexible en la resistencia a la reforma, pero está buscando venganza por haber sido derrotado por los oprimidos, los culpables y los inocentes.


De sus historias que descubrir la verdad de los grandes logros de la restauración de la seguridad. Dos de mis colegas están en cárcel por primera vez. los jóvenes estan simple , sin un grano de violencia y la acusación es ?; Formar una banda. De hecho, Abu Malik solo es una banda armada en sí mismo. Ahora entiendo lo que significa que el Ministerio del Interior cuando se informa de que ha capturado bandas armadas. Yo nos felicitamos por el restablecimiento de la seguridad entonces.


En las siguientes horas, la luz del sol entra en la celda ,siempre oscura. leemos creativas grabados en árabe de un antiguo colega. cuatro paredes de piso al techo cubierto con el Corán, plegarias, súplicas, pensamientos y lo que parece ser la voluntad de un tirano se arrepenta.



Al día siguiente descubrimos en la esquina la fecha de la ejecución del preso. Todos nos sentamos abrumados por las lágrimas.


El arrepentimiento es El plan del culpable, pero los inocentes no saben qué hacer para evitar un destino similar !.


Me alejo de ellos en la radio, escuchando el discurso de su Excelencia el General inaugurando la bandera más alta en todo el mundo, uno que sin duda ,entrará en los libros de récords. Y yo me pregunto: ¿Era la inclusión del nombre del mártir Daniel Mina como uno de los instigadores en mi caso, también un récord en la audacia? Sobre la base de que no fuera suficiente para que puedan ser los primeros en matar a la víctima y para andar en el funeral, sino también a escupir sobre el cadáver suyo y lo acusan de un crimen?


O tal vez esta célula puede ganar el registro del número de cucarachas? Mis pensamientos son interrumpidos por Abu Mailk: "Juro por Dios Todopoderoso, si el agraviado no fue absuelto, esta revolución no tendrá éxito."


El tercer día, 11/01/2011
Celda 19, la prisión de Apelación, Bab Al Jalq
Alaa Abdel Fattah (@ Alaa)

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