Egypt : A Peace Criminal

JANUARY 26, 2014 17:11

Firstly, I apologize for taking all this time to write but as most of you know I have been in a lot of trouble and have endured some jail time, but I promise you I am back now stronger than ever because I realized this is my path and there is no turning back now.

On June 30, 2013 while my people were massively filling the streets of Egypt protesting and demanding the fall of former president Mohamed Morsi along with his so-called Muslim Brotherhood, I was in Sarajevo attending the 4th annual Muslim Jewish Conference ( MJC ) http://mjconference.wordpress.com/about/ which included over 100 participants from 39 different countries who shares the same vision and the same curiosity about one another away from their governments’ propagandas and lies.

An MJC group picture with the Bosnian president Mr Bakir Izetbegovic.

I had a very educational and life changing experience meeting Israelis and Jews from around the world and real, good Muslims who share my passion for real conflict resolution between Israelis and Arabs. We had amazing activities that showed us that we are all humans who share the same values and love; for example the Jewish participants joined us at the Friday prayer at the mosque and on the same day we attended Shabbat prayers at the synagogue hand-in-hand showing the whole world that we are all HUMANS!

At the Synagogue on my left Mr Ilja Sichrovsky the founder of the MJC.

Celebrating Morsi''s ouster on July 3, 2013 with my MJC family who made me feel at home among family: Sarah of Morroco, Carlah of Brazil, Sarah of the US, Ben of Germany and Itai of Israel.

After the conference I agreed with my American friend Daniel J Gerstle, who I met at the MJC, to stick together in Sarajevo and came up with an amazing idea to establish a Sarajevo Writer’s Cafe & Media Center, located on Kovaci walkway in Bascarsija, the old town of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina http://69.195.124.61/~humaniv7/ahmad-meligy/ Unfortunately I had to go back to Egypt to change my visa status in order to go back to Sarajevo and live there, but a series of unfortunate events occurred leading to my arrest and subsequent imprisonment on charges of crimes I never ever committed.

I was arrested last October such charges as drug dealing, disturbing the peace and also possession of a 9mm gun, which are very ironic charges for a peace activist that now portray me as a peace criminal.

Once I was arrested, my German girlfriend contacted Mr Uri Savir, the head of the Israeli YaLa Young Leaders movement for peace, who did everything in his power to free me from the hell I was in. He personally sent my Sudanese colleague and brother, human rights activist Mohamed Salih Abu Bakr who came all the way to Egypt looking for me in jails and police stations until he found me, hiring a lawyer for me and posting my very over-rated bail ( 1,500 US Dollars ), which is 10 times more than the average bail for a real criminal with a nasty rapsheet. Mohamed and the lawyer finally got me out on November 25th. Now I am awaiting trial facing a 3-7 year prison sentence, but I have faith in Allah and in my innocence as a peace criminal.

Waiting in handcuffs with complete humiliation to be processed and released, Mohamed took a big risk picturing me while the police thugs were all around.

Moments after my release with my brother Mohamed.

This is my article about my YaLa experience and work http://blogs.jpost.com/content/uri-savir-his-yala-peace-leaders and this is with no doubt the most valuable award I gained from my YaLa family https://www.facebook.com/yalaYL

I thank all of my YaLa family who never gave up on me, and everyone who helped in my release.

Now, after recovering from this ordeal, undergoing long therapy sessions and support from everyone I know specially my sweet love Liese, I decided to return stronger than ever and more determined than ever. My upcoming articles will reflect what has been occurring in my home country of Egypt since last June until this very moment.

The truly best thing about the MJC was that it was purely human and solely for peace building. It does not support any political agenda, idea or party, I also would like to emphasize that my posts reflect my personal views and the participants were just sharing in my happiness.

I am really proud that I was part of it this year. It changed and touched so many young lives.