Egyptische rechtbank veroordeelt vrijwilligers

An Egyptian court handed down prison sentences ranging from one to five years in the case of 43 Egyptian and foreign pro-democracy workers, including Americans, that has strained Cairo’s ties with Washington.

Sam LaHood, the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison. The court also ordered the closure of the branches of the groups involved in the case including the National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute. Some of the verdicts were issued in absentia. Most of the Americans in the case have left the country.

“The case has a political dimension,” Negad El Borai, a defense lawyer representing some of the defendants said by phone before the verdicts. “These people have paid the price for the tensions between the military council” and the U.S., he said referring to the interim military rulers at the helm when the issue started. The council took over after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak until Mohamed Mursi became president.