Blogging on Egypt’s abuses can be a dangerous task

Through an interview with the Los Angeles Times, we are granted a window into the chaotic world of Wael Abbas, one of Egypt’s foremost bloggers.

Abbas has made it his mission to document and report on the countless government abuses and human rights violations in President Hosni Mubarak’s Egypt. His posts catalog police torture, political oppression, labor strikes, sexual harassment, and radical Islam. His dogged reporting has garnered international acclaim, but also many an email like the one highlighted in the Times article: “May God honor my sword by slaying Wael Abbas.”

“What matters to me is publicizing violations against human rights,” Abbas said.

His target is what he claims has gone wrong in Egypt during Mubarak’s 26-year rule. “I’m trying to enlighten people to what’s going on,” he said.

Abbas does this through dramatic videos – often taken with his camera phone – documenting brutal and abusive tactics by government forces. Some of the images he has captured have gained such notoriety that they have lead to the prosecution and conviction of police officers involved in abuse.

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