US President Barack Obama on Wednesday received Zahra Saeed, sister of Khaled Saeed, a youth activist who was beaten to death by police in Alexandria a year ago.
A Facebook page called “We’re all Khaled Saeed” created after his death is considered one of the catalysts for the 25 January revolution.
In a White House press release, Obama welcomed activists from Egypt and Tunisia who were involved in their countries' revolutions.
Obama also received Gamal Bettayeb, the Tunisian blogger from the city of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, where Mohamed al-Bouazizi’s act of self-immolation set off large-scale uprisings throughout the region.
Saeed and Bettayeb are now in Washington to receive the 2011 Democracy Award from the National Endowment for Democracy on behalf of all Egyptians and Tunisians who have been calling for basic human rights.
During the meeting, Obama praised sacrifices made by citizens in the region, and pledged US support for the transition to democracy in Egypt and Tunisia. He also said that establishing democratic institutions and promoting change is difficult and requires patience.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
