|
Egypt Sentences Activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim
CAIRO, May 22 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Convicted of spreading "false reports" abroad about electoral fraud and religious persecution against Egypt's Coptic Christians, U.S.-Egyptian activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim was sentenced in Egypt on Monday to seven years in prison, news agencies reported.
Also, in February, the prosecution had called for a maximum sentence of 15 years forced labor for Ibrahim's colleagues, arguing that they had "sold their conscience for a fistful of dollars" and were "guilty of a clear-cut attack on the interests of the country by spreading ugly rumors."
The accused were also found guilty of receiving unauthorized financial aid from the European Union for projects aimed at promoting "democratic views" among the population as part of the work of the Ibn Khaldun Center. Ibrahim is the director of the Center and also a Sociology professor at the American University in Cairo.
Two were of the accused were sentenced to three years hard labor. Four others, including Ibrahim's accountant, Nadia Abdel Nour, were sentenced to two years in prison, while the remaining 21 were handed one-year suspended prison sentences, all by the same court, news agencies reported
A diplomat from the U.S. embassy, who was present at the court when it announced its decision and who has followed the case closely along with European Union officials, refused to comment on the verdict.
In Washington however, U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States was "deeply troubled" by the decision.
"We've raised a number of times our concerns about the situation of Dr. Saad Ibrahim ... [and] we've been expressing all along our concerns about the process that resulted in this sentence," Boucher said.
The London based Al-Hayet said on Tuesday that the court gave Ibrahim the floor to talk before the decision, and that he was very "touched", thanking all those who had supported him.
"Is it the fault of Ibrahim that his voice is heard all over the world and is he being punished because his experiences are being respected everywhere?" Ibrahim asked.
Through out the trial, Ibrahim was locked inside a witness cage during court sessions, but was not fazed until hearing the verdict, seemingly shocked when hearing the decision.
"Obviously the whole thing is politically motivated," said Ibrahim from inside the cage after the decision was announced.
Ibrahim had earlier complained that the case was brought against him for his work in support of democratic elections, as well as standing up for women's rights and those of the Coptic Christian minority.
He and his colleagues were also convicted of forging voting cards in the run-up to legislative elections held last October and November, as well bribing state television officials to promote the Ibn Khaldun Center.
The Center had also planned to monitor the 2000 parliamentary elections, but Ibrahim's case prevented this from happening, which Ibrahim argued was the main reason behind his arrest.
"Of course, I feel shocked, but I have faith that justice will prevail," Ibrahim, who said will take the case to the court of cassation, said.
"It is a struggle and it will go on," he said. "I do not regret anything I stood for," BBC reported.
Ibrahim, who holds dual U.S. and Egyptian citizenship, complained that his lawyers were not given access to all documents needed to argue their defense and that "due process was not observed" when the accused were arrested.
In Egypt, Ibrahim's wife Barbara described the verdict as "a miscarriage of justice," saying the only crime committed was "having participated in civil society."
"This is not the tradition in Egypt and I'm sure it can be reversed. I have a lot of confidence in the system here and I know that my husband is strong," she added.
Ibrahim was arrested and held from June 30th to August 10th over the affair, with the United States interfering several times calling for his release, as did the European Union.
|
