After six weeks in detention, Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdel-Fatah was finally released Thursday. The Christian Science Monitor reported May 17:

Web community rallies to free Egyptian blogger:

Mr. Abdel-Fatah is one among hundreds of demonstrators detained last month while protesting the treatment of two judges who claimed that recent Egyptian parliamentary elections were rigged. Abdel-Fatah and his wife, Manal Hassan, published a widely read blog called Manalaa.

His blog serves as a meeting point for hundreds of Internet-savvy and politically active young Egyptians. It says, "We also offer free hosting and free aid in developing a website for any cause we find worthy or interesting and for any speech that is censored or prosecuted in Egypt." In November 2005, the blog won a top award from Reporters Without Borders for promoting freedom of expression. Abdel-Fatah was also featured in the June 1 Time magazine.