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Letter of Appeal from the AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility

August 6, 2002



His Excellency Mohammed Hosni Mubarak
President
Arab Republic of Egypt
Cairo, Egypt

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing to request your personal intervention, to the maximum extent permitted by law, to achieve a just and humane resolution of the controversial legal proceedings against Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim.

Although I am assured these proceedings have been conducted in accordance with the procedural and substantive requirements of Egyptian law, international observers are virtually unanimous in assessing the charges as politically motivated. Although Dr. Ibrahim has been convicted of embezzling funds belonging to the European Union, it has been reported that the European Union itself believes that the funds were properly accounted for. The other charges, which involve receiving foreign assistance without permission of the government and an allegation of spreading false information that injured the image of Egypt abroad, appear to be inherently political offenses. Ironically, the trial and conviction of Dr. Ibrahim are likely to be far more injurious to the international image of the Egyptian government than any statements he might have made in the past. Finally, I am informed that Dr. Ibrahim has a medical condition that may require treatment abroad, but that he has received no response to his repeated requests for permission to seek such treatment.

I hope you will accept these suggestions in the spirit in which I offer them. As a longtime friend of Egypt, I believe that dismissal of the charges against Dr. Ibrahim would make it far easier for those of us in the United States Congress who wish to promote the continuation of a strong and close relationship between our two countries, to continue to support your country and work on issues of mutual concern.

Thank you for your consideration of this important request.

Very Truly Yours,

Henry J. Hyde
Chairman, Committee on International Relations

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