[Vision2020] FW: Thoughts, Prayers, and Positive Energies

[Mo Hendrickson]

Sue- It is very worrisome.  I posted the LA Times Blog because it had a basic rundown of what was going on.  I did not like the picture that they used either, Phil has done alot of non-violent and humanitarian work with folks in Gaza that photo does not represent the work that he has done. Below is a link to a blog of an individual who was a part of the march and gives an account of what happened.  I have also included the updates from the Rizk family and the frustrations they are facing in their quest to get Phil back.  For those who want to take some sort of action I have also included a petition to sign and can post more links and letters to send to the Egyptian Embassy and Consulates.   -Mo Eye-Witness Linkhttp://allthegoodnameshadgone.blogspot.com/2009/02/kidnapping-of-philip-rizk.html Petitionhttp://www.gopetition.com/petitions/release-philip-rizk/signatures.html Update from Rizk FamilyLATEST UPDATE FROM JEANNETTE and CHRISTINA RIZKMonday Feb. 9th 7:15 pmThis afternoon it was discovered that the secret police were at Jeannette Rizk’s residence in the past 24 hours. By process of elimination, we have deduced it was most likely while the family home was being searched in the early morning hours. Hard drives, cameras, iPod, as well as several boxes of paper, including both intellectual and material property are missing from the apartment. No money was taken.The intruders used Philip’s key to get into the apartment, and left it behind on a desk. At this point it is unclear what they were looking for. Although no “incriminating” evidence of any sort could possibly be found –as none exists– the impunity with which personal property was taken is deeply disturbing.------------------------------------Monday Feb. 9th 5:40 amAt 1:30am when we had just gone to bed the doorbell rang. 5 plain clothed men and two in full riot gear and machine guns stood outside our door. They wanted to enter to search the house. We found out that they were looking for evidence against Philip. Two men entered and began searching through the papers of our home office. In the meantime we contacted a German Embassy official and a professor from AUC as well as some friends. They all came immediately many others were awake and praying.The police left but returned soon after to ask my father to go with them and write up a report about the fact that they had searched our home. Of course, we did not trust them. Then they insisted to pass by his office where they would continue the search. In the meantime Amnesty International had contacted us and an wonderful lawyer arrived just in time to firmly tell the secret police that they could not take any further actions without a police warrant. We closed and locked the front door and settled in to see what would happen next. The secret police was waiting downstairs for orders that never came. At 5a.m. they finally left.------------------------------------Sunday, Feburary 8th, 2009WE HEARD FROM AUC OFFICIALS THAT THEY TALKED TO A GENERAL IN THE STATE SECURITY. HE HAS CONFIRMED THAT THEY ARE HOLDING PHILIP BUT THAT HE WILL BE DETAINED FOR A LONGER PERIOD FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THIS CAN BE CONSIDERED AS THE FIRST OFFICIAL RESPONSE.Sunday, February 8th, 2009:First of all my family would like to thank all of you for the encouragement and offers of support and help that have poured in from all over the world. India, Kenya, Brazil, Germany, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Palestine, America, Switzerland, Canada, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Israel, UK, Turkey, Uganda, Hong Kong and of course Egypt to just mention a few places.We attended the rally at the American University. The Head of AUC security has been following Philip’s case. He seems to think that Philip is being held in one of the two branches of State Security in Nasr City, although we do not know at which. My parents will be going to inquire about him at both locations tonight.Sadly this was all the news we were able to get today. We will continue to post updates as we receive them.Jeannette and the family.---------------------------------------Phil's parents went to the High Court downtaown Cairo to file a complaint with the General Prosecutor against State Security for abducting Philip. A lot of friends have gathered outside the Court house to show support and solidarity.The American University is involved as well as the German Embassy (who was told at first by the Sate Security that nobody called Philip had been arrested, later they did acknowledge he was there).Meanwhile through other contacts we were able to locate Philip, he is being held by State Security at their headquarters in downtown Cairo.Should you be contacted by the media about Philip's situation we ask that you refer the request to one of the immediate family members. Phil's safety and release is our first concern.Contact info for Jeannette Rizk, Philip's sisterjfrizk at gmail.com 

From: suehovey at moscow.comTo: hend5953 at vandals.uidaho.eduSubject: Re: [Vision2020] Thoughts, Prayers, and Positive EnergiesDate: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 09:20:44 -1000


Mo, this is so very worrisome.  And why in the world would the paper post the militant picture which distorts the intent of Philp's organization?   I don't know enough about the political posture of the LA Times to understand its intent here.  
 
Sue Hovey
 
 
----- Original Message ----- 

From: Mo Hendrickson 
To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 7:02 AM
Subject: [Vision2020] Thoughts, Prayers, and Positive Energies
Hello Viz- I recieved some very sad and troubling news this morning.  One of the students I worked with when I lived in Egypt has been detained by the Egyptian National Security.  He was involved in a solidarity march in Cairo as part of the "To Gaza" campaign. There were 14 other people detained, but everyone except for Philip was released.  I have posted an LA Times Blog Article about what happened to Phillip. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2009/02/egypt-blogger-g.html I am still processing the news as I write this. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  Egypt is not known for its kind treatment of those they detain. -Mo    






 

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EGYPT: Blogger grabbed by Egyptian security forces

 A blogger and peace activist is being held by Egyptian security forces at an undisclosed location after he was arrested Friday following a march to raise awareness about conditions in the Gaza Strip.Philip Rizk, a 26-year-old Egyptian-German filmmaker and student at the American University in Cairo, was last seen leaving the Abu Zabal police station in a white mini-bus. Rizk and other activists had earlier marched at a rally outside Cairo to condemn the Israeli blockade of Gaza and urge Egypt to open its Rafah border crossing to allow aid to enter the Palestinian enclave. "He is in the custody of State Security, which means illegal detention and a high probability of torture and ill treatment," Aida Seif El Dawla, who runs a group that counsels torture victims, told the Associated Press. "The fact that they are not saying where he is is very worrying."
German officials have contacted Egyptian authorities, and Rizk’s Egyptian father and German mother have filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office. Arrests of bloggers, activists and political opponents are common in Egypt, where they can be held for months without charges. More than 50 members of the Muslim Brotherhood organization were also detained after a recent Gaza rally.The government of President Hosni Mubarak is sensitive to criticism regarding its handling of the Gaza crisis. Egypt has kept its Rafah border with Gaza mostly closed since late December, when Israel launched a 22-day incursion into the seaside enclave that killed about 1,300 Palestinians. The Egyptian government fears opening the border would ease pressure on the militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza and supports exporting radical Islam across the region.Rizk had been filming a documentary about the Palestinian resistance. A post on his Tabula Gaza blog late last week urged activists to march toward Gaza to protest the Israeli siege:
"Though the immediate Israeli military onslaught on Gaza -- for the time being -- has come to a standstill this is not a solution. Let us seize this time of urgency to act and call for an end to siege on Gaza. Though our respective governments reject expressing our resistance to the status quo we -- the multitude -- must move to the streets, as a collective global expression in condemnation of Israel’s actions."--Jeffrey Fleishman in Cairo

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