Egypt antiwar protesters face sedition trial

[Aidoneus]

Egypt antiwar protesters face sedition trial
By Bill Vann
29 August 2003

The Egyptian regime of Hosni Mubarak brought formal charges earlier this month against five activists who were involved in mass protests last March against the US drive to war in Iraq. The five—Ashraf Ibrahim, Nassir Faruq al-Bihiri, Yahya Fikri Amin Zahra, Mustafa Muhammad al-Basiuni and Remon Edward Gindi Morgan—were charged in an Emergency State Security Court.

Ashraf Ibrahim, a 35-year-old engineer, was arrested by state security forces last April. Before being formally charged, he had spent 111 days in detention, the last 10 of them on hunger strike. The other four have yet to be arrested and are reportedly seeking legal advice on whether to turn themselves in and face trial.

All five are charged with plotting to form an “underground communist organization that aims to overthrow the existing ruling regime.” Ibrahim, who is named as the leader of the alleged organization, is further accused of “undermining Egypt’s status and prestige” by speaking to international human rights organizations about his persecution. The charges were brought under a section of Egyptian law that outlaws “impairing the national unity or social peace.”

Under the draconian emergency laws that have been in effect in Egypt since the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, all five of the accused could be condemned to 15 years in prison. The state security court judges are appointed by the president and may include military officers. Its decisions are not subject to appeal. Human rights groups in Egypt have protested the government’s repeated use of these courts— supposedly reserved for charges of terrorism—to suppress any form of political dissent.

According to press reports, Egyptian state prosecutors told both Ibrahim and his lawyers that he had become the subject of an intensive state investigation after members of the State Security Investigations (SSI), Egypt’s political police, raided his home and confiscated his computer. They discovered that he had downloaded socialist literature, information from the Al Jazeera web site and material from human rights organizations. They also confiscated a video camera he had used to record the antiwar demonstrations of March 20 and 21, which brought tens of thousands into the streets of Cairo.

The Mubarak regime, fearful that popular hostility to US aggression against Iraq could spill over into a challenge to its own rule in Egypt, unleashed brutal repression against the antiwar protests, using water cannon, dogs and baton charges to attack the demonstrators. Afterwards, at least 800 were detained, many of them subjected to beatings and torture.

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http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/aug2003/egyp-a29_prn.shtml

More from who that $2bil goes to ... the US-backing and endorsement of Mubarak isn't just for sitting on the side while the Israeli military crushes Palestinians every day, it's also for crushing Egpyt, keeping it under lock & key and safe for US interests. A refreshing change of pace to see the "COMMIE!" charge pulled out instead.. :eyes:

[rucky]

1. Great Strategy!

The Mubarak regime, fearful that popular hostility to US aggression against Iraq could spill over into a challenge to its own rule in Egypt, unleashed brutal repression against the antiwar protests, using water cannon, dogs and baton charges to attack the demonstrators. Afterwards, at least 800 were detained, many of them subjected to beatings and torture.


As if THAT wouldn't spill over into a challenge to the Mubarak regime?