Cairo, 15^th of October 2008

Press Release:
The Arab Center in Libya for the second time
to discuss the file of Egyptians sentenced to death
 

Within the frame work of the Center’s follow-up to the file of the Egyptians sentenced to death in Libya, Mr. Nasser Amin - lawyer and director of the Arab Center for Independence of the judiciary and the legal profession – is conducting several meetings and visits to discuss ways to stop the death penalty issued by the Libyan judiciary against Egyptians on the Libyan territory. Mr. Amin is visiting the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, starting from October 14^th 2008, 

Meetings are scheduled to be held with some of the Libyan civil society institutions, particularly the Human Rights Association of the Kadhafi Foundation for Development, in order to coordinate efforts to resolve some cases requiring a suspension of sentence.

This is the second visit of its kind made by the center to discuss ways to stop the death penalty issued by the Libyan judiciary against Egyptians. The first visit, which took place in June of 2008, discussed ways to stop the execution of the death penalty against some Egyptians who reconciled with the victims’ relatives- they are five Egyptians. The deemed the necessary to stop the sentence against them and to release them. It was agreed to present the above-mentioned cases before the Libyan public prosecutor to take the need procedures.

The Center and the concerned parties in Libya are examining each case separately and considering the legal means to stop the execution of this punishment either by following-up the appeals filed before the Libya's Supreme Court or by progress in the negotiation and reconciliation with the victims’ families.

In this visit  the Center is following the reached steps and trying to overcome the legal obstacles and procedures for the release of Egyptians who have finished the negotiation and reconciliation for them, as well as discussing  ways to stop the death penalty against the rest of the sentenced Egyptians.

Worth mentioning that the Center is following the file of the Egyptians sentenced to death in Libya since 2006. It made many interviews and contacts with the concerned Libyan and Egyptian Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and presented appeals of intervene to each of the Egyptian and Libyan presidents, and the sentences was postponed for several times.

The Arab Center for the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession is cooperating in this file with Libyan civil society institutions that exert many commendable efforts in this context particularly the Kadhafi Foundation for Development, the Libyan Association for Human Rights and Dr Aisha Kadhafi Commission for human rights.