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Saturday 16th of June: Appeal of Huwaida Taha's Case to be Reviewed
Defense Committee is hoping for a faire trial Cairo, 14 June 2007 On Saturday 16 June 2007, the Nozha Misdemeanors court of appeal will review the appeal of Huwaida Taha, Al-Jazeera producer and writer, against the court ruling. On 2 May 2007, the Nozha Misdemeanors court sentenced Taha to six months in prison with labor and a fine of L.E 10000 for practicing an activity that is harmful to Egypt's national interests (Article 80, paragraph 1 of criminal law), and a fine of L.E 20000 for producing and possessing fabricated images (Article 178, paragraph 1 of criminal law), after an unfair political trial in which her right to defense was violated. This unfair sentence against Taha signaled a transition of the Egyptian government from exercising pressure in an attempt to hinder the production of the program or its release, to retaliating against the producer and Al-Jazeera channel for not yielding to pressure not to air the documentary "Wara' al-Shams" [Behind the Sun], which was the cause of this case and which was aired last April before the ruling. The documentary presented all points of view: policemen, rights activists, victims and doctors. "This unfair sentence against Taha came just a day before celebrating the international day for the freedom of the press, and now the appeal will be considered after Egypt has won a seat in the UN human rights council, which is a serious test of the commitment of the Egyptian government, as a member in such an international body, to human rights and freedom of expression. Regardless of what the ruling will be, it will be a message to the council regarding the seriousness and credibility of both the council itself and its members," said the human rights and legal organizations signatories to this statement. Taha's defense committee is greatly surprised at the flawed standards of justice in Egypt, an example of which is the Egyptian government's commitment to using its leverage in supporting Islam Nabih, an officer charged with torture in a case covered by the documentary, while employing all its means in order to convict the Al-Jazeera producer, who only presented the footage without exaggeration or belittlement. "We are going to the appeal hearings hoping for a more just and fair trial, but we will be prepared for all possibilities, as it is difficult in Egypt to predict a decision as long as the government seeks to bypass the law on some occasions and enforce it on others," said the Huwaida Taha defense committee. Signatory organizations as a part of the defense committee: Arabic Network for Human Rights Information Hisham Mubarak Law Center Freedom Center for Political Rights and Supporting Democracy |
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