Press releases

The Egyptian Prosecution under takes the investigations onthe threat against the director of the ACIJLP

Within the context of judicial proceedings taken by the Egyptian authorities on the threats directed to Mr. Nasser Amin, Director of the Arab Center for Independence of the Judiciary the Legal Profession (ACIJLP). The public prosecution “Misr El Qadima prosecution office” began the investigations on December 15th 2008. The investigations included hearing the statements of Mr. Amin stated in his communication to the Egyptian Attorney-General on receiving an e-mail which threats his right to life and physical integrity, unless he stops his role and the role of the Center to support the International Criminal Court and its role in the trial of the Sudanese president on the background of the crisis of Darfur region.

The investigations included also a question on the role of the Center and its activities to support the International Criminal Court, and whether the Director of the Center accuses anyone of being behind the threats. Mr. Amin has not charged any one or a particular body, but he accused only the group who sent the letter, which called themselves the “the Middle East Mujahedeen group in Cairo.”

It should be noted that Mr. Nasser Amin received on 25 October 2008 via the e-mail box of the Center a message entitled “the final warning” from a group calling itself the ” the Middle East Mujahedeen group in Cairo.” The letter contained a direct threat to Mr. Amin and one of the researchers at the center, who is Mr. Hamad Wadi Sand. The threatening letter called on Mr. Amin to desist from his duties to enhance the role of the International Criminal Court to Darfur crisis

As a result of this letter, Mr. Amin submitted a communication No. 18292 to the Egyptian Public Prosecutor calling him to take the necessary legal steps towards the investigation of the incident that threatening the right to life and physical integrity. The communication also called on the concerned bodies to reveal the truth and to find the source of the threats and take the necessary legal steps.

The investigations in the communication (No. 18292) submitted by Mr. Nasser Amin – lawyer and director of the Arab Center for Independence of the judiciary and the legal profession – on October 27th 2008, to the Egyptian Attorney General’s Office, are scheduled to begin tomorrow (Wednesday), November 26th 2008.

On Wednesday morning, “Miser El Qadeima” Public Prosecution office is due to hear the statements of Mr. Nasser Amin on what is mentioned in the referred statement, in which he appealed to the Egyptian Attorney General to take the necessary legal steps towards the investigation of the threatening incident to his right to life and physical integrity. Moreover, he required the concerned authorities to uncover the truth and to find the sources of these threats in addition to take the necessary legal steps.

It should be noted that Mr. Nasser Amin received (on October 25th 2008) e-mail message entitled “final warning” from a group calling itself the “Mujahedeen of the Middle East in Cairo.” The message contained a direct threat to Mr. Amin’s secretary and to one the researchers at center who is Mr. Hamad Wadi Sand.

The threatening message requested Mr. Amin to desist from his duties to enhance the role of the International Criminal Court in Darfur crisis.

The threat came when the researcher Hammad Wadi Sand, prepared an article published on the Internet that supports the idea of the Sudanese president’s trial before the International Criminal Court.

A threat to the Director of the ACIJLP because of his support to the role of the International Criminal Court on Darfur crisis

Mr. Nasser Amin, Director of the Arab Center for the Independence of the judiciary and the legal profession (ACIJLP), received on Saturday, 25 October 2008, a strong threat from a Sudanese group in Cairo calling its self (Middle East Mujahedeen in Cairo) through the Center’s e-mail.

The email included a threat to Mr. Amin’s life and his right to physical integrity, and it included also a threat to the researcher “Hammad Wadi Sannd”, who works at the Center and who have the Sudanese nationality.

Further more, the threatening e-mail claimed Mr. Amin to stop playing his role – and the Center’s role – towards Darfur crisis in addition to the role of the International Criminal Court on this crisis.


The Center fears that the Sudanese government might have a prior knowledge of these threats and their content, or at least that these threats didn’t have any reluctance from the Sudanese officials in security organs.

The Center sees that the motive behind this threat is to obstruct the role of the Center that supports the International Criminal Court on strengthening international criminal justice and the role of the court toward Darfur crisis.

 
While the Center Expresses its resentment and condemnation of such threats, it calls upon the Egyptian government to guarantee Mr. Nasser Amin’s right to life and physical integrity. The Center also puts the full responsibility on the Sudanese government and the Sudanese embassy in Cairo for any actions that might caused by Sudanese resident in Cairo.

Press Release: The Arab Center in Libya for the second time to discuss the file of Egyptians sentenced to death

Within the frame work of the Center’s follow-up to the file of the Egyptians sentenced to death in Libya, Mr. Nasser Amin – lawyer and director of the Arab Center for Independence of the judiciary and the legal profession – is conducting several meetings and visits to discuss ways to stop the death penalty issued by the Libyan judiciary against Egyptians on the Libyan territory. Mr. Amin is visiting the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, starting from October 14th 2008, 


Meetings are scheduled to be held with some of the Libyan civil society institutions, particularly the Human Rights Association of the Kadhafi Foundation for Development, in order to coordinate efforts to resolve some cases requiring a suspension of sentence.


This is the second visit of its kind made by the center to discuss ways to stop the death penalty issued by the Libyan judiciary against Egyptians. The first visit, which took place in June of 2008, discussed ways to stop the execution of the death penalty against some Egyptians who reconciled with the victims’ relatives- they are five Egyptians. The deemed the necessary to stop the sentence against them and to release them. It was agreed to present the above-mentioned cases before the Libyan public prosecutor to take the need procedures.


The Center and the concerned parties in Libya are examining each case separately and considering the legal means to stop the execution of this punishment either by following-up the appeals filed before the Libya’s Supreme Court or by progress in the negotiation and reconciliation with the victims’ families.


In this visit  the Center is following the reached steps and trying to overcome the legal obstacles and procedures for the release of Egyptians who have finished the negotiation and reconciliation for them, as well as discussing  ways to stop the death penalty against the rest of the sentenced Egyptians.

Worth mentioning that the Center is following the file of the Egyptians sentenced to death in Libya since 2006. It made many interviews and contacts with the concerned Libyan and Egyptian Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and presented appeals of intervene to each of the Egyptian and Libyan presidents, and the sentences was postponed for several times.


The Arab Center for the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession is cooperating in this file with Libyan civil society institutions that exert many commendable efforts in this context particularly the Kadhafi Foundation for Development, the Libyan Association for Human Rights and Dr Aisha Kadhafi Commission for human rights.

ACIJLP praises Algeria’s steps towards the abolition of the death penalty

The Arab Center for Independence of the judiciary and the legal profession (ACIJLP) expressed its satisfaction with the preliminary steps, taken by the Algerian government on the abolition of the death penalty and its replacement with alternative sanctions within the framework of the Algerian government’s plan on reforms in the justice sector. Thus, Algeria is the first Arab country to take serious steps towards the abolition of the death penalty, which had suspended their implementation since 1993 in addition to Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.

This step made by the Algerian government – if it is successful in the abolition of the death penalty – will be regarded as an important step in protecting the right to life, which is the most sacred right enshrined in the principles of divine or drafted laws. International legislations and conventions agreed on pledging not to harm it and banned its violation under any circumstance.

While the Center welcomes this step, it indicates the seriousness of the implementation of the death penalty especially if these sentences issued through criminal trials that lack of fair and equitable trial standards, or through military or extraordinary justice, which are often used to get rid of opponents.

The Center paying tribute to the Algerian Government directions and it calls upon other Arab governments to take into their account the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those persons who face the death penalty which are adopted by the UN Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1984/50 of 25 May 1984. Particularly Article V which states that ” death penalty shouldn’t be implemented without a final decision issued by  a competent court after legal process which gives all possible safeguards to ensure a fair trial at least equal to those guarantees mentioned in article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including the right of any person suspected or charged of committing a crime punishable by death to have adequate legal assistance at all stages of trial. “

And also to give consideration to the decision of the United Nations General Assembly No. 62/149 in December 18, 2007, which supported the call for a global abolition of executions.

The Center also calls upon the Arab States to reduce in the use of the death penalty and to reduce the number of crimes that are punishable by death, and to replace them with alternative penalties as a start towards the abolition of the death penalty to protect the right to life.

On the 39th anniversary of the September revolution, Libyan authorities release 128 Egyptians

On the anniversary of the 1st September revolution the Libyan authorities have released 128 Egyptians imprisoned in Libyan prisons. The Libyan authorities release and pardon a number of prisoners, both Libyan and other nationalities each year on the occasion of the revolution.

Thirty Egyptian prisoners were released at the beginning of this year pursuant to the decision of the Revolutionary Command Council to release 772 Libyans, Arabs and foreigners convicted of various criminal crimes and who had served half their sentences.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the revolution, the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) has sent a letter to the Libyan prosecutor general and head of the Libyan judicial police body urging the release of Egyptians sentenced to death or life imprisonment and who are currently imprisoned in Libya prisons. 

In its letter, ACIJLP mentioned eight Egyptians who had engaged in reconciliation measures with according to the Libyan Reconcilation and Deyya Law. They are, Abdel Halim El-Sayyed Abdel Halim Moussa, Hussein El-Sayyed Darwish, Farahat Abdo Farahat, Samy Fathy Abd Rabbo, Adel Abdel Azim Omar Mohamed El-Gazawy, Mohamed Omar Ibrahim Abd Rabbo El-Gazawy, Ihab Magdy Meshraqy Rafael and Fadl Ismail Hateeta. Release orders for these men is in line with the Libyan judicial verdicts and legislation applicable in this matter.

ACIJLP also pointed out that pardons for those condemned to death is in line with the Libyan president’s directives on the abolishment of the death penalty and its replacement with alternative punishments.

Arab Center for Independence of the Judiciary Law Firm