﻿ Egypt convicts 43 in NGO case - Taipei Times Thu, Jun 06, 2013
- Page 7　News List  Egypt convicts 43 in NGO case
CONSEQUENCES?US Senator Patrick Leahy, a proponent of tying
military aid to Egypt to progress on democracy and rights,
called the convictions ‘appalling and offensive’  Reuters, CAIRO
An Egyptian court convicted 43 Americans, Europeans, Egyptians
and other Arabs on Tuesday in a case against democracy promotion
groups that plunged US-Egyptian ties into their worst crisis in
decades.  Judge Makram Awad gave five-year sentences to 27
defendants tried in absentia, including 15 US citizens. Another
American who stayed for the trial was given a two-year sentence,
but left Egypt on Tuesday on the advice of his lawyers. A German
woman was also given a two-year sentence.  US Secretary of State
John Kerry harshly criticized the decision, calling it
“incompatible with the transition to democracy” and a violation
of the government’s commitment to support civil society as it
emerges from years of authoritar