Mennonite Weekly Review

CHICAGO — Mennonites were among about 40 people protesting the detention of Philip Rizk, a German-Egyptian Christian journalist and peace activist, in a rally Feb. 9 at the Egyptian consulate.

Annie and Rivers Gill-Bloyer protest Feb. 9 in Chicago, demanding Egypt release journalist and peace activist Philip Rizk, who was detained without charge — a human rights violation. — Photo by Celeste Kennel-Shank/MWR

Rizk was arrested Feb. 6 north of Cairo as he was traveling to Rafah at the border to call on Egypt to allow doctors and aid into Gaza, where he lived from 2005 to 2007 doing humanitarian work. Rizk had also written a post on his blog, Tabula Gaza, criticizing Egypt’s government for letting few injured Palestinians into Egypt to receive medical care.

Rizk was released Feb. 11. While he was detained, intruders the family believed to be secret police entered their apartment with Rizk’s key and stole Rizk’s computer, camera equipment and books, according to a message on Facebook, an online social networking tool.

The organizers and family used Facebook to share messages and plan protests. Organizers wrote that they knew one of the reasons for Rizk’s release was that the Egyptian Embassy did not want negative press coverage.

Annie Gill-Bloyer, a member of Living Water Community Church, a Mennonite Church USA congregation, became good friends with Rizk at Wheaton College. When she and others learned of Rizk’s arrest, they planned a protest in Chicago in about 24 hours, she said.

“In the same way that we as Mennonites are committed to peace and justice as part of our commitment to the gospel, Phil is committed to peace and justice for the people of Gaza,” Gill-Bloyer said. “We stand in solidarity with him.”

Tim Nafziger and Sophia Hochstedler of Christian Peacemaker Teams’ Chicago office were also among those who opposed Rizk’s detention.

“His arrest has been done very secretly without charges,” Hochstedler said.

Hochstedler said she had seen Rizk’s documentary film, This Palestinian Life, about nonviolent resistance in Gaza.

“I have a lot of respect for this work,” Hochstedler said.

Protests of Rizk’s detention also took place Feb. 9 at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and Feb. 10 at the embassy in London.