This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/world/middleeast/from-an-egyptian-american-prisoner-mohamed-soltan-on-hunger-strike-in-cairo-a-letter-home.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
From an Egyptian-American Prisoner on Hunger Strike in Cairo, a Letter Home From an Egyptian-American Prisoner on Hunger Strike in Cairo, a Letter Home
(about 17 hours later)
Mohamed Soltan, an Egyptian-American in prison in Cairo awaiting trial for more than a year after his arrest at a street protest, entered the 294th day of a hunger strike on Sunday, his 27th birthday.Mohamed Soltan, an Egyptian-American in prison in Cairo awaiting trial for more than a year after his arrest at a street protest, entered the 294th day of a hunger strike on Sunday, his 27th birthday.
He wrote in a recent letter that was smuggled to his family and provided to The New York Times that his current ordeal reminded him of the time 10 years ago that he made his junior varsity basketball team at the Star International Academy in Dearborn Heights, Mich., when he weighed 336 pounds. During his hunger strike, Mr. Soltan has received life-sustaining nutrients intravenously. He wrote in a recent letter that was smuggled to his family and provided to The New York Times that his current ordeal reminded him of the time 10 years ago that he made his junior varsity basketball team at the Star International Academy in Dearborn Heights, Mich., when he weighed 336 pounds. During his hunger strike, Mr. Soltan has been hospitalized to receive care.
“There was no comparison of course, this test is much more extreme and definitely more painful,” he wrote, but he said he believed that he would be “molded by God to be a wiser human, an effective leader, and a stronger advocate of freedom and peace.”“There was no comparison of course, this test is much more extreme and definitely more painful,” he wrote, but he said he believed that he would be “molded by God to be a wiser human, an effective leader, and a stronger advocate of freedom and peace.”
Mr. Soltan, the son of a prominent figure in the Muslim Brotherhood, is one of several thousand prisoners arrested as part of a sweeping crackdown on dissents after the military takeover of the government in July 2013 by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the former general who is now the country’s president. Mr. Sisi recently issued a decree authorizing himself to expel foreign citizens convicted of crimes rather than keeping them in Egyptian prisons. It is unclear if that decree will apply to Mr. Soltan, in part because he has not yet been convicted of any crime. Also, he is a citizen of both the United States and Egypt, and the law here customarily treats dual nationals as Egyptians. Mr. Soltan, the son of a prominent figure in the Muslim Brotherhood, is one of several thousand prisoners arrested as part of a sweeping crackdown on dissidents after the military takeover of the government in July 2013 by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the former general who is now the country’s president. Mr. Sisi recently issued a decree authorizing himself to expel foreign citizens convicted of crimes rather than keeping them in Egyptian prisons. It is unclear if that decree will apply to Mr. Soltan, in part because he has not yet been convicted of any crime. Also, he is a citizen of both the United States and Egypt, and Egyptian law here customarily treats dual nationals as Egyptians.
Here is Mr. Soltan’s letter, as provided by his family:Here is Mr. Soltan’s letter, as provided by his family: