Cairo, 28^th September 2008

Egypt: shock and disappointment at the prison sentence handed down to Egyptian journalist Ibrahim Eissa

The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) is shocked by the two month prison sentence issued against Egyptian journalist Ibrahim Eissa on 28 September 2008 in the case known as the “President’s health case”.

This judgement will harm Egypt’s international standing, particularly within international legal circles, where it will be considered a violation of Egypt’s international pledges and commitments in particular article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It had been expected that the judgement would take into account Egypt’s ratification of the ICCPR, which entered into force in 1981.

This provokes numerous concerns and is a serious disappointment. The Egyptian judiciary had previously been depended on to articulate and ensure the protection of people’s rights and freedoms. It firmly entrenched these rights for defendants in the most serious cases such as that concerning the assassination of the former President of Egypt and the Egyptian railway workers’ strike, and so on. The judiciary is now being used to transfer political battles to courtrooms and has become a tool by which rights and freedoms are attacked, particularly the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

ACIJLP believes that the promulgation of this type of judgement by the Egyptian judiciary represents a clear danger, the proof of which is the fact that it cannot be said that the judiciary enjoys complete independence in line with international standards. Egyptian courts, particularly trials of conscience of opinion do not guarantee the minimum guarantees and standards of a fair and neutral trial.

In order to protect the reputation of Egypt’s judiciary, and out of respect for Egypt’s international commitments, ACIJLP urges the Egyptian judiciary to distance itself from political score-settling cases by abiding by the international treaties brought into effect by the Egyptian government. These treaties form part of domestic legislation and give precedence to the independence of the judiciary and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.