Its taken me awhile to figure out how to write about the imprisonment of my colleague and friend Alaa Seif al-Islam. I learned of his arrest the day after it happened and prayed that he would be release soon. News came quickly that he would be jailed for about 15 days. He still hasn't been released and there's no news of when he will actually get out.

More about Alaa and the campaign to free him can be read at http://freealaa.blogspot.com/ which includes articles printed about his arrest in the Washington Post and on PBS. There is a recent post from Alaa that discusses his time in prison. I found the last line the most telling, "Prison is fucking boring and I can't wait to be out." I think of all the horrors one can imagine that is probably the least but something horrendous to endure.

A question over dinner with some friends recently was what exactly is the power of the Internet in social movements. The ability for anyone to instantaneously publish and have the ability to access may be being fittered away here in the states with Internet based movements like Move On having a decidedly top down approach.(and certainly with congress considering bills that willl require payment for websites to be accessed), but in other countries the Internet seems to be quite a force. Alaa is known as being for being a blogger, and if he wasn't so well known, it could be considered that he would be out by now. Countries from China to Egypt (where Alaa lives) are trying to limit access to the internet and the ability of grassroots forces to use it to spread information. There was a recent story on the BBC about how prominent bloggers in Egypt are starting to take measures such as aminimity. This episode has further propelled Alaa into prominence, so I doubt he will be able to take these steps. I just hope he can keep up his fight for freedom in his country once he is released.

So thats my addition to the blogosphere about Alaa. I just hope to god he's out soon.