Sabtu, 25 Februari 2012

Activists set for trial in Egypt

Egyptian police raid an NGO office in Cairo on 29 December 2011Computers and documents were seized by Egyptian authorities during December's raids

The trial of 43 pro-democracy activists, including 19 Americans, is due to begin in Egypt.

They are accused of receiving illegal funding from foreign governments, including the US.

The case has severely strained relations between Egypt and the United States, with threats that US aid could be cut.

The countries are holding talks to try to solve the case, a senior US official said on Saturday.

"We are in intense discussions with the government of Egypt to try to resolve the situation with the NGOs within days," the official was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

A number of the Americans have taken refuge in the US embassy after being refused permission to leave Egypt.

Ruling council

The International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), loosely associated with the US Republican and Democratic parties, were among 17 US-based and local foreign-funded groups whose offices were raided by prosecutors in late December.

The case has provoked loud protests from Washington, and even threats to cut off the $1.5bn (£1bn) of aid paid to Egypt each year.

But inside Egypt, the raids and arrests have won widespread popular support, relieving some of the pressure on the ruling military council as it moves towards a handover of power to civilians in the coming months.

Five Serbs, two Germans and three non-Egyptian Arab nationals are also said to be among those facing trial.

One Egyptian minister has accused the organisations of trying to spread chaos in the country.

26 Feb, 2012


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Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-middle-east-17165808
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