Egypt
18.03.03
Urgent Interventions
Egypt: Acquittal of Saad Eddin Ibrahim
PRESS RELEASE
EGYPT
Acquittal of Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim
Paris-Geneva, 18th March 2003
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World
Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) in the framework of their joint
program the Observatory for the protection of Human Rights Defenders,
welcome the verdict of the Egyptian Court of Cassation issued on 18th
March 2003, that has acquitted Dr Saad Eddin Ibrahim, director of the
Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies, and two other workers of
the Center, M. Mohamed Hussein and Mrs Nadia Mohamed Ahmed. Mrs.
Magda Ibrahim El Beh, part-time field worker of the Center, received
a six month suspended sentence.
This verdict puts an end to a case that started on 30 June 2000, when
Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim was arrested along with 27 employees of the
Center. Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim was charged under the Military Decree
No.4 of 1992, adopted within the framework of the State of Emergency
Law (1981) that prohibits the reception of foreign funds without
previous authorisation by the State, for having received funds from
the European Union without previous State authorization. He was also
charged with forgery of electoral cards, misappropriation of funds,
and disseminating false information abroad contrary to the interests
of Egypt.
He received a seven-year prison sentence by a State Security Court on
21 May 2001 along with his 27 co-defendants. He was then released on
7 February 2002 after the Court of Cassation broke the State Security
Court's decision and transferred the case to another Court. However
this new Court confirmed the sentence and he was again put in prison
on 22 July 2002, along with 3 co-defendants. He was finally released
upon a second decision of the Court of Cassation on 3rd December
2002, waiting for the final and definitive verdict pronounced today.
The Observatory sent observers to the different steps of the
proceedings. It considered that the charges brought against Dr.
Ibrahim were arbitrary, since they only aimed at sanctioning his
activity in favour of the defence of Human Rights and of democracy in
Egypt. This situation also raised grave concerns amongst national and
international human rights organisations, and was denounced by all
the actors of the international community, including the European
Union.
While welcoming this decision, the Observatory remains however
concerned about the legal provisions of the Egyptian legislation, as
regards freedom of association. The new law on associations adopted
in June 2002 is indeed very restrictive and includes the prohibition
to receive foreign funding without prior authorisation. These
restrictions are strengthened by the renewal of the State of
Emergency in February 2003 (and therefore of Military Decree No.4 of
1992) for a period of three years.
The Observatory therefore calls the Egyptian authorities to amend its
legislation so as to conform with international human rights
instruments ratified by Egypt as well as with the provisions of the
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General
Assembly in 1998.
For further details please contact:
FIDH : Driss el Yazami, secrétaire général - tél : 00 33 1 43 55 20
11, fax : 00 33 1 43 55 18 80
OMCT: Laurence Cuny: Human Rights Defenders Program Manager - tél: 00
41 22 809 49 39, fax: 00 41 22 809 49 29
EGYPT
Acquittal of Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim
Paris-Geneva, 18th March 2003
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World
Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) in the framework of their joint
program the Observatory for the protection of Human Rights Defenders,
welcome the verdict of the Egyptian Court of Cassation issued on 18th
March 2003, that has acquitted Dr Saad Eddin Ibrahim, director of the
Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies, and two other workers of
the Center, M. Mohamed Hussein and Mrs Nadia Mohamed Ahmed. Mrs.
Magda Ibrahim El Beh, part-time field worker of the Center, received
a six month suspended sentence.
This verdict puts an end to a case that started on 30 June 2000, when
Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim was arrested along with 27 employees of the
Center. Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim was charged under the Military Decree
No.4 of 1992, adopted within the framework of the State of Emergency
Law (1981) that prohibits the reception of foreign funds without
previous authorisation by the State, for having received funds from
the European Union without previous State authorization. He was also
charged with forgery of electoral cards, misappropriation of funds,
and disseminating false information abroad contrary to the interests
of Egypt.
He received a seven-year prison sentence by a State Security Court on
21 May 2001 along with his 27 co-defendants. He was then released on
7 February 2002 after the Court of Cassation broke the State Security
Court's decision and transferred the case to another Court. However
this new Court confirmed the sentence and he was again put in prison
on 22 July 2002, along with 3 co-defendants. He was finally released
upon a second decision of the Court of Cassation on 3rd December
2002, waiting for the final and definitive verdict pronounced today.
The Observatory sent observers to the different steps of the
proceedings. It considered that the charges brought against Dr.
Ibrahim were arbitrary, since they only aimed at sanctioning his
activity in favour of the defence of Human Rights and of democracy in
Egypt. This situation also raised grave concerns amongst national and
international human rights organisations, and was denounced by all
the actors of the international community, including the European
Union.
While welcoming this decision, the Observatory remains however
concerned about the legal provisions of the Egyptian legislation, as
regards freedom of association. The new law on associations adopted
in June 2002 is indeed very restrictive and includes the prohibition
to receive foreign funding without prior authorisation. These
restrictions are strengthened by the renewal of the State of
Emergency in February 2003 (and therefore of Military Decree No.4 of
1992) for a period of three years.
The Observatory therefore calls the Egyptian authorities to amend its
legislation so as to conform with international human rights
instruments ratified by Egypt as well as with the provisions of the
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General
Assembly in 1998.
For further details please contact:
FIDH : Driss el Yazami, secrétaire général - tél : 00 33 1 43 55 20
11, fax : 00 33 1 43 55 18 80
OMCT: Laurence Cuny: Human Rights Defenders Program Manager - tél: 00
41 22 809 49 39, fax: 00 41 22 809 49 29