[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15173]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                    MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE IN EGYPT

 Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the news from Egypt this morning 
is both disappointing and disheartening. Egyptian democracy activist 
and academic Saad Eddin Ibrahim was sentenced to 7 years in jail 
following a retrial for charges, according to the BBC, ``of tarnishing 
the country's image abroad and other offenses.''
  Many believe that the case against Mr. Ibrahim, who is a dual 
Egyptian-American citizen, is politically motivated and a not-so-veiled 
effort to stifle political debate in that country. Unfortunately, 
today's verdict only underscores that the rule of law and democratic 
institutions continue to be weak and non-functioning in Egypt.
  It is my hope and expectation that Secretary Powell will clearly, 
publicly and forcefully register the concerns of the United States with 
Mr. Ibrahim's case to senior Egyptian leaders. I would offer that it is 
not Mr. Ibrahim but the Egyptian government--and its weak judiciary, 
irresponsible and anti-Semitic media, and questionable ties with North 
Korean missile technicians--that consistently tarnishes the country's 
image abroad.
  To put it simply, the United States must expect more from its ally in 
the Middle East.

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