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An Egyptian court has sentenced a blogger to four years of imprisonment for insulting the Islamic religion as well as the president. A human rights group labeled the verdict “very tough” and a “strong message” to Egypt bloggers, which run into thousands.

The blogger, Abdel Kareem Soliman, who is 22 years of age, had used his web log to criticize Egypt’s top Islamic institution, al-Azhar university and President Hosni Mubarak, whom he called a dictator.

Soliman, who blogs under the name Kareem Amer, was tried in his native city of Alexandria. He also happens to be a former student of at-Azhar. However, in his blog, he called the institution “the university of terrorism” and even accused it of suppressing free thought.

In 2006, the al-Azhar university expelled him and pressed prosecutors to put him on trial. During the five-minute court session, the judge said Soliman was guilty and would have to serve three years for insulting Islam, and one year for insulting the president, Mr. Mubarak.