Ägypten – Sacharow-Preisträgerin: Freispruch und Hungerstreik

Anlässlich des Freispruchs und Hungerstreiks der Demokratieaktivistin und Preisträgerin des Sacharow-Preises für geistige Freiheit 2011, der vom Europäischen Parlament verliehen wird, Asmaa Mahfouz, erklärte Franziska Brantner, Außenpolitische Sprecherin der Fraktion Grüne/EFA:

“We are relieved to hear that democracy activist and Sakharov Prize Winner Asmaa Mahfouz has been cleared of all charges in the Egyptian court today. [1] This is a positive signal in a politically very volatile situation. This is hopefully also a signal for the outstanding trials of other democracy activists.

It also shows that international and European attention can make a difference: the support Asmaa Mahfouz had received from the EU and the European Parliament was specially mentioned in the trial. I therefore urge the EU to do everything in its power to stop the silencing of opposition activists and to ensure that NGOs are again allowed to operate freely and restrictions on their funds are lifted.
 
The situation remains volatile. A return to the old regime still remains a threat. Asmaa Mahfourz and more than 40 other activists are currently on hunger strike to prevent a return to the old regime.

Sakharov Prize Winner Asmaa Mahfouz states: “We are on a hunger strike to push the parliament to enforce the Political Isolation Law for the elections”. This law would disqualify presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq as a political figure from the old regime to run for political office. The bill was originally approved by the military council in April, leading to the Presidential Elections Commission excluding Shafiq from the presidential race, but then accepted his appeal against the decision and reinstated him in the race. The Supreme Constitutional Court will begin considering whether the law is constitutional on 14 June, two days before the election runoff is due to start. Asmaa Mahfouz and her fellow activist plan to continue their hunger strike until their demands are met. Asmaa Mahfouz declares that “this is the final fight; we are willing to die for this revolution like those before us”.

[1] Ms Mahfouz was charged with beating a man she claims to never have met. The punishment would have been one year imprisonment with labour.