Egyptian Poet Released after Court Overrules his 3 Year Sentence

ALMASRYONLINE.com
Al Minya Poet Released
Tuesday 21 July 2009
Reported by Samah Abdel Aty and Saeed Nafe'i

The poet from Al Minya has been discharged and released after being accused of writing poems against President Hosni Mubarak.

Muneer Saeed Hanna Marzouk, Al Adwa Educational Department Deputy, was set free yesterday in Al Minya, announcing his innocence from the charge of insulting the president with poems he had distributed among citizens.

Hanna said that he would continue writing poems that expressed people's concerns and fight against corruption. Hanna is said to have been a communist in the seventies. He joined the ruling National Democratic Party but didn't continue being a member because of the party's policies, describing them as "words with no action."

"They arrested me because of my poem, The Black List, which they believed was against the president," Hanna explained.

"I started writing poems the Ramadan before last. My main urge was the irregular attendance of students in schools, which gave me some leisure time. I started with writing some thoughts which was the beginning of writing poetry. My first poem was about corruption in the education system," he added. Hanna went on to explain, "I like the Tunisian poet, Abul Kasem El Shaaby, and regard him as the greatest Arab poet, though he died at a young age."

Hanna said that Security Service Intelligence had begun investigating him because of his poems during March of last year. He also said that he had been warned and punished before.

"I didn't apply for the teachers' cadre exams because I regard it as lower than my academic level," Hanna pointed out further.

See also:
AllGov News - Release of Poet Jailed for Making Fun of U.S.-Supported Dictator