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AYMAN NOUR CASE: WASHINGTON QUESTIONS EGYPT'S COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY

The Morocco Times - December 29, 2005 Expressing concern over opposition leader Ayman Nour's five-year sentence, the United States questioned Egypt's commitment to democracy and the rule of law, reported BBC news. "The United States is deeply troubled by the conviction of Egyptian politician Ayman Nour. The conviction of Nour, the runner-up in Egypt's 2005 presidential elections, calls into question Egypt's commitment to democracy, freedom, and the rule of law", the White House said in a statement on Saturday. Ayman Nour, former presidential candidate, was sentenced on Saturday to five years prison after he was found guilty of fraud. The opposition leader, second in the last presidential elections, was first held in January on charges of falsifying signatures to register his party, al-Ghad (Tomorrow). He repeatedly denied the accusations and stressed the authorities were trying to disrupt his presidencial campaign. On Saturday, Nour, looking pale, arrived in the court from hospital as he was on hunger strike to protest against his detention, which he says is politically motivated. The Egyptian government denied claims that the charges had political origine. "We are also disturbed by reports that Mr. Nour's health has seriously declined due to the hunger strike on which he has embarked in protest at the conditions of his trial and detention,” added the White Housestatement. The US also called on the Egyptian government to free the former presidential candidate. "The United States calls upon the Egyptian government to act under the laws of Egypt in the spirit of its professed desire for increased political openness and dialogue within Egyptian society, and out of humanitarian concern, to release Mr Nour from detention." Immediately after the verdict was announced, Nour shouted "God is great!” "This is injustice and we are going to take it to the court of cassation," his lawyer, Amir Salim, told reporters, adding that "this is a political verdict that will be annulled by the appeal court.” "This verdict will go into the dustbin of history," Salem underlined. However, some of his co-defendants confessed that they forged documents at Nour's behest with a computer he bought for them. Outside the court, about 500 of Nour's supporters took to the streets and chanted "Hosni Mubarak's rule is illegal!" and "the trial is illegal!" A European diplomat, who attended the trial, also said "I don't think they (the European Union) will be praising what happened just now,” pointing out that the EU would issue a joint statement on the case.

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