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On January 14 the Tunisian dictator Ben Ali was deposed after 20 years in power. Even if the detonator for the popular rebellion was the self-immolation of a humble street vendor mistreated by the police, over many years the Tunisian people had to bear injustice of all kinds, alarming levels of unemployment and poverty and even the persecution of certain Islamic practices.

To the joy of almost 20 million people who had mobilized to demand the resignation of Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president chose to step down after 30 years in power.
Mubarak’s resignation takes place after 18 days of massive protests. The recently-appointed Vice President Omar Suleiman made the announcement, saying that a Military Council will take over the administration.

We humanists feel very joyful at the outcome of the Non-Violent Revolution in Egypt, which has culminated in Mubarak’s resignation. Towards the end of January the International Humanist Party showed its support for the “peoples’ protest” in the Arab world; and we demonstrated outside Egyptian embassies in several countries supporting the non-violent struggle of its people.

The majority of journalists, media people, commentators and intellectuals from the main broadcasting channels do not seem to be able to perceive in depth what is happening in Egypt. And we must bear in mind that the massive demonstrations or social unrest are only an indication of the “new world which is already arriving”.

After 18 days of the popular uprising, Mubarak resigned and fled the country. Egypt displayed the greatest expression of the strength of non-violence. Some nay-sayers, who were more interested in silencing the mass movement with gunfire rather than avoiding bloodshed, were announcing “civil war” . No bloodshed occurred.

In response to dramatic developments in Egypt, Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said: “I congratulate the protesters for their extraordinary courage and commitment to achieve fundamental change.”
“Persistent attempts to put down peaceful protests have not only failed but redoubled the determination of those demanding change.”

“In memoriam, Christoph Probst, Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl” reads the banner at the top of Kareem Amer’s popular Egyptian dissident blog. “Beheaded on Feb. 22, 1943, for daring to say no to Hitler, and yes to freedom and justice for all.” The young blogger’s banner recalls the courageous group of anti-Nazi pamphleteers who called themselves the White Rose Collective.

The pro-democracy protests in Egypt have entered their third week as demonstrators are holding another massive protest in Tahrir Square, downtown at El Cairo, the capital city. While President Hosni Mubarak is refusing to resign, his regime is attempting to offer some new concessions in an attempt to end the protests.

-What is Amnesty International doing about the protests in Egypt and elsewhere in the region?
We’ve sent a delegation to Egypt to help witness, record and expose human rights abuses being committed during the uprising, as we did during the unrest in Tunisia earlier in the year. We’re doing this in close cooperation with local human rights activists.

Egyptian President Mubarak came under fresh pressure on Monday to step down as opponents said concessions made in landmark talks were not enough to halt a revolt against his 30-year rule.
Thousands of demonstrators spent Sunday night under blankets and tarpaulins in central Cairo’s Tahrir Square, or Liberation Square, which over two weeks has begun to resemble a tented camp.