House speaker slams European Parl't statement on detained citizen

CAIRO – 16 February 2020: Egypt's House Speaker Dr. Ali Abdel Aal has expressed his utter rejection of the statement issued by the President of the European Parliament on the status of an Egyptian citizen.

He regarded these statements as unacceptable interference in Egyptian domestic affairs, as well as an explicit assault against the Egyptian judicial authority and justice procedures.

In his statement, Dr. Abdel Aal added that such unjustified and unacceptable statements do not encourage any expected dialogue between the two parliamentary institutions.

He also condemned the European Parliament’s jump to conclusions and infringement of the authority of the independent Egyptian Public Prosecution, adding that it is surprising that the content of these statements urges implicitly for not applying the law to anyone who commits a crime in contradiction with the European side’s continuous call for respecting the rule of law.

He further expressed his regret that the President of the European Parliament relied in his statement on false and inaccurate information that are not based on clear evidence and released by politicized organizations that lack credibility.

Moreover, he pointed out that Egypt had previously repeatedly announced its categorical rejection of the allegations of those malicious organizations that have interest in defaming Egypt.

He added that, by following up the situation of the aforementioned citizen, it was found that judicial measures had been taken against him by the Public Prosecutor in September 2019 in incidents that constitute crimes in the Egyptian penal laws, and that he was arrested on February 8, 2020 on his arrival in the country coming from Italy in pursuant to a judicial warrant.

All constitutional and legal due process and guarantees had been fully secured and the Public Prosecution took its decision against him according to its empowered authorities.

The Speaker of Parliament stressed that the aforementioned accused enjoys his full rights, like others arrested, without discrimination, recalling the respect of the principle of non-interference in the domestic affairs of States, the principle of the independence of the judiciary and non-interference in justice, the need for full accuracy before making accusations arbitrarily, and addressing issues from a comprehensive perspective that includes the concrete steps that are being taken in the field of promoting freedoms and human rights in the country.