Israel Matzav: Egyptians allow democracy activists to leave after posting $330K each in 'bail'

Friday, March 02, 2012

Egyptians allow democracy activists to leave after posting $330K each in 'bail'

Egypt has allowed 15 democracy activists, including eight Americans, one of whom is Sam LaHood, the son of US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, to leave Egypt. While that is likely to ensure the continued flow of US aid to Egypt, it still does not resolve the underlying issues between the two countries.

The group of 15 people, included eight Americans, among them Sam LaHood, three Serbs, two Germans, one Norwegian and one Palestinian, Egypt's official news agency said. Airport sources said they left on a US plane sent to get them.

The group later arrived in Cyprus, where they were met by US embassy staff and driven away from Larnaca airport in a minibus without speaking to a Reuters reporter. It was not clear where they were being taken and U.S diplomats referred questions to the State Department in Washington.

Cyprus airport sources said the group's aircraft was scheduled to depart on Friday but there was no information on its destination or passengers.

The United States expressed continued concern over Egypt's crackdown on pro-democracy groups.

"We are very pleased that the Egyptian courts have now lifted the travel ban on our NGO employees. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in Washington. The group were on their way home, she said.

"The departure of our people doesn't resolve the legal case or the larger issues concerning the NGOs," Nuland said.

"We remain deeply concerned about the prosecution of NGOs in Egypt and the ultimate outcome of the legal process, and we will keep working with the Egyptian government on these issues."

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had said on Wednesday she expected a swift resolution to the row.

Judge Abdel Moez Ibrahim told Reuters on Wednesday that, after an appeal by those charged, the case was switched from a criminal court to one handling misdemeanours where the maximum penalty was a fine, not jail.

With that, those involved could post bail of 2 million Egyptian pounds ($330,000) each and the travel ban would be lifted. The NGOs posted bail for their employees.

That's a huge amount of 'bail' for a misdemeanor. Something tells me that the NGO's will never see that money again. At least the money posted by the Americans ought to be deducted from the aid money that the US provides to Egypt. And this is decidedly not the end of the story, although I would not expect any of those released to ever return to Egypt.

One Western diplomat said the case may have been used, at least in part, to divert attention from a faltering economy.

"Once ... the media spotlight moves on, the threat remains over the Egyptian employees (of NGOs involved) as does a large question mark over the way that NGOs and civil society are seen in Egypt," the diplomat added.

Alongside charges that NGOs received foreign funds without Egypt's approval, the workers are also alleged to have carried out political activities unrelated to their work and accused of failing to obtain necessary operating licences.

A judicial source said charges would not be dropped.

The first session of the court that was initially hearing the case took place on Sunday. It had been adjourned until April 26, but a new date will now be set since the case has been transferred to another court, the judge said.

By my count, there are still another 28 democracy activists being held in Egypt, including eight Americans.

Labels: Egyptian democracy, US foreign aid