Egypt: communists activists are not found guilty, American embassy welcomes
Egypt-USA, Politics, 3/12/2004

The Supreme Emergency state security court in Cairo yesterday found five persons accused for trying to topple the regime as non guilty in the first trial for a communist organization in the country since 19 years.

Judge Ahmad Shawqi al-Shilqami announced the verdict in less than five minutes, but did not declare during its reasons in the session which was attended by several activists in the human rights area. The session was only attended by Ashraf Ibrahim among the accused five men as the other four men were sentenced in absentia.

The events of this case which was brought to the court last year when the five men took part in demonstrations supporting the Palestinians and opposing the war in Iraq. Then Ibrahim was arrested under the charge of sending false information to human rights organization abroad and distorting the reputation of the country before these accusations were developed to the foundation of the " Revolutionary socialists " organization with the aim of toppling the regime and establishing an extremist communist regime. However, lawyers said that should the accused men get convicted they will be sentenced for periods up to 15 years.

Activists in the field of human rights said that the case came in retaliation to demonstrations which were spread in many of the Egyptian cities in protest of the Israeli practices against the Palestinians and the war against Iraq. Immediately after the release of the verdict, the American embassy in Cairo issued a short statement in which it stressed " its welcome: of founding Ashraf Ibrahim as not guilty " as his political activities are not characterized of violence."

Previous Stories:
  Gamal Mubarak: Egypt's NDP preoccupied with comprehensive reform   (3/11/2004)
  Petition calls for elections, nominates Amr Moussa; Mubarak patrons a conference for reforms in the Arab world   (3/10/2004)
  Mubarak warns of dictated reforms without consultations   (3/6/2004)
  Muslim Brothers propose a reform initiative in Egypt   (3/4/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search