Egypt convicts 43 nonprofit employees of stirring unrest
Source: Agencies |
June 5, 2013, Wednesday
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AN Egyptian court yesterday convicted 43 nonprofit workers, including at least 16 Americans, of illegally using foreign funds to foment unrest, sentencing them to up to five years in jail.
Most of the Americans had left the country. They include Sam LaHood, son of US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. He received a five-year jail term.
Present at the hearing was American Robert Becker, who received a two-year sentence. Becker has maintained his refusal to flee Egypt with fellow Americans who were in the country at the time of the crackdown on nonprofit groups was to show solidarity with his Egyptian colleagues.
The verdict read out by judge Makram Awad also ordered the closure and seizure of the offices and assets in Egypt belonging to US nonprofit groups as well as one German organization for which the defendants worked. These are the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, Freedom House, a center for training journalists and Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
Of the 43 defendants, 27 received five-year jail terms. Another five received two years and 11 got one year. Defendants tried in absentia typically are convicted and receive the maximum sentence but also get an automatic retrial. All 43 were fined 1,000 Egyptian pounds (US$143).
Beside the Americans, eight other foreigners of Serbian, Jordanian, Lebanese, and other nationalities were tried.
The trial began last year during the nearly 17 months of military rule that followed the ouster of US ally Hosni Mubarak. The case led to a period of tension in US-Egyptian relations, with Washington warning it could lead to the loss of American aid.
There was no immediate comment from the Obama administration on the verdicts, but a senior US congressman, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce, condemned the ruling in a statement and urged Islamist President Mohammed Morsi to allow nonprofit groups to work toward a democratic Egypt.
Assault on civil society
"This is another assault on Egyptian civil society. As if these trials were not bad enough, the Egyptian government is pushing a new law targeting NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that will further suffocate civil society," said Royce, a Republican from California. "President Morsi should immediately reverse course and allow for Egyptian domestic and international NGOs to work toward a democratic and secure Egypt."
In Berlin, the German foreign minister said his country was outraged by the verdicts and will work for their overturn.
"The actions of the Egyptian judiciary are troubling. They weaken civil society, which is an important pillar of democracy in the new democratic Egypt," the minister, Guido Westerwelle, said in a statement. "The German political foundations are doing wonderful work in Egypt. They are doing exemplary work during a historical phase for Egypt, laying the foundations for democracy, rule of law, pluralism and intercultural dialogue."
Most of the Americans had left the country. They include Sam LaHood, son of US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. He received a five-year jail term.
Present at the hearing was American Robert Becker, who received a two-year sentence. Becker has maintained his refusal to flee Egypt with fellow Americans who were in the country at the time of the crackdown on nonprofit groups was to show solidarity with his Egyptian colleagues.
The verdict read out by judge Makram Awad also ordered the closure and seizure of the offices and assets in Egypt belonging to US nonprofit groups as well as one German organization for which the defendants worked. These are the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, Freedom House, a center for training journalists and Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
Of the 43 defendants, 27 received five-year jail terms. Another five received two years and 11 got one year. Defendants tried in absentia typically are convicted and receive the maximum sentence but also get an automatic retrial. All 43 were fined 1,000 Egyptian pounds (US$143).
Beside the Americans, eight other foreigners of Serbian, Jordanian, Lebanese, and other nationalities were tried.
The trial began last year during the nearly 17 months of military rule that followed the ouster of US ally Hosni Mubarak. The case led to a period of tension in US-Egyptian relations, with Washington warning it could lead to the loss of American aid.
There was no immediate comment from the Obama administration on the verdicts, but a senior US congressman, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce, condemned the ruling in a statement and urged Islamist President Mohammed Morsi to allow nonprofit groups to work toward a democratic Egypt.
Assault on civil society
"This is another assault on Egyptian civil society. As if these trials were not bad enough, the Egyptian government is pushing a new law targeting NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that will further suffocate civil society," said Royce, a Republican from California. "President Morsi should immediately reverse course and allow for Egyptian domestic and international NGOs to work toward a democratic and secure Egypt."
In Berlin, the German foreign minister said his country was outraged by the verdicts and will work for their overturn.
"The actions of the Egyptian judiciary are troubling. They weaken civil society, which is an important pillar of democracy in the new democratic Egypt," the minister, Guido Westerwelle, said in a statement. "The German political foundations are doing wonderful work in Egypt. They are doing exemplary work during a historical phase for Egypt, laying the foundations for democracy, rule of law, pluralism and intercultural dialogue."
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