Egyptian Activist Blogs from Jail

CAIRO, Egypt—Even from his cell in an Egyptian prison, Alaa Abdel-Fattah is blogging—scribbling messages on slips of paper that make their way to the internet and spread around the world.

The 24-year-old Abdel-Fattah’s blog, which he posts with his wife Manal Hassan, has become one of the most popular pro-democracy voices in Egypt. He has continued writing despite being arrested in early May during a street demonstration in Cairo—part of a crackdown on reform activists by Egyptian security forces.

“We covered the walls of our cell with graffiti of our names and slogans and website addresses,” Abdel-Fattah wrote one time, referring to himself and fellow imprisoned activists. “We chanted and sang and the mood was great.” (Wired Magazine)