ElBaradei supporters deported from Kuwait

April 14th, 2010

At least 21 Egyptian expatriates have been arrested and deported from Kuwait for supporting Mohamed ElBaradei. The former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency champions political reform in Egypt and is being tipped as a potential presidential candidate. About 30 ElBaradei supporters were arrested in a café on Thursday for what the Kuwaiti interior minister, Sheikh Jaber al-Sabah, said was an illegally assembly. Kuwait police had previously arrested three other ElBaradei supporters. Egypt has claimed they had no hand in these arrests and deportations. AFP reports that more than 400,000 Egyptians live in Kuwait, the country prohibits non-Kuwaitis from participating in demonstrations.

Egyptian publisher detained by government

April 6th, 2010

The publisher of the new book about Mohamed ElBaradei, the former UN nuclear watchdog, was arrested by the Egyptian authorities on Saturday.  Egyptian officials raided Ahmed Mahanna’s house a week after he released a book lauding ElBaradei who has launched a campaign for political reform and hinted he may challenge Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in an election due in 2011.  Egyptian officials did not state a reason for detaining Mahanna, who was released the next day.