Israel Matzav

High school blogger jailed as threat to Assad regime

The Assad regime has jailed a 19-year old female blogger and charged her with spying for the United States.

Last December, Assad dispatched his much-feared mukhabarat agents to arrest Tal al-Mallouhi, a 19-year-old high school girl and blogger.

Her parents were not allowed to visit her in her prison cell until last week and, of course, she still has not been permitted to see a lawyer.

In Syria, as in most Arab countries controlled by tyrants, it is not unusual for detainees to "disappear" in prison for years and decades.

This week the Associated Press quoted an unnamed Syrian official as saying that al-Mallouhi was being held on suspicion of spying for a foreign country -- an allegation that has been dismissed by human rights activists and bloggers throughout the Arab world as "ridiculous."

Although the Syrians have not provided details about the espionage case, it is widely believed that the "foreign country" the official was referring to is the US.

The Americans do not need a 19-year-old girl to gather information about Assad's regime, they argue. Moreover, they continue, does such a teenager have access to state secrets and sensitive security installations that enables her to work for the CIA or any other intelligence agency?

Al-Mallouhi's blog was very supportive of the Palestinians and carried poems about Jerusalem and strong criticism of Israel. The blog also features a photo of Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi.

Arab dictators have long resorted to the old trick of accusing their critics and political opponents of working for "foreign powers," especially the US and Israel. This is the dictators' way of discrediting anyone who dares to voice a different opinion than theirs or speak out about controversial issues.

By leveling accusations of treason against their rivals, the dictators pave the way for their incarceration or elimination.

The only place in this region where this girl could have freely criticized her government on a blog is - you guessed it - Israel. Unfortunately, it's probably too late to tell her that.

Fools.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:07 PM