Ayman Nour

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Ayman Abd El Aziz Nour (Arabic:أيمن عبد العزيز نور) is an Egyptian politician, a former member of that country's Parliament and chairman of the Al Ghad party. He became famous around the world following his January 2005 imprisonment by the government of President Hosni Mubarak, which was widely understood as a politically motivated move by the state and caused a lot of internal anger as well as foreign pressure for his release.

1 Formation of El Ghad
2 Arrest and imprisonment
3 US "troubled" and "disturbed" by imprisonment
4 Party Leadership
5 See also
6 Notes
7 External links

[edit] Formation of El Ghad

The El Ghad party was formally recognized by the Egyptian government on October 27, 2004. Following its creation, Nour was elected president of the party at its first convention a few days later. His prominence as an independent MP made him the star of the party and one of the driving forces behind its organization. Nour fought hard to get the party recognized; its application was rejected three times before official status was finally granted.

The party was created to represent a liberal democratic perspective, with a strong interest in human rights issues. Nour used the party as a platform to call for constitutional reform, limiting the president's powers and opening presidential elections to multiple candidates.

[edit] Arrest and imprisonment

Nour was stripped of his parliamentary immunity and arrested on January 29, 2005. He was charged with forging PAs (Powers of Attorney) to secure the formation of the el-Ghad party. Nour vehemently denied the charges (from prison).

The arrest, occurring in an election year, was widely criticized by governments around the world as a step backwards for Egyptian democracy. Few seem to regard the charges as legitimate. Nour remained active despite his imprisonment, using the opportunity to write critical articles and make his case and cause better known.

In February 2005, Condoleezza Rice abruptly postponed a visit to Egypt, reflecting U.S. displeasure at the jailing of Nour, who was reported to have been brutally interrogated. ^[1] That same month, the government announced the following month that it would open elections to multiple candidates.

In March 2005, following the U.S. action, Nour was freed and began a campaign for the Egyptian presidency. ^[2]

In June 2005, Rice addressed democracy in the Middle East at the American University in Cairo. She stated: “There are those who say that democracy leads to chaos, or conflict, or terror. In fact, the opposite is true. … Ladies and Gentlemen: Across the Middle East today, millions of citizens are voicing their aspirations for liberty and for democracy …demanding freedom for themselves and democracy for their countries. To these courageous men and women, I say today: All free nations will stand with you as you secure the blessings of your own liberty” ^[3]

Nour was the first runner-up in the 2005 presidential election with 7% of the vote according to government figures and estimated at 13% by independent observers, although no independent observers were allowed to monitor the elections.

On December 24, 2005 he was sentenced to five years in jail. Nour is diabetic and dependent on insulin, a health issue which sent him to the hospital for the week before the verdict when he engaged in a hunger strike carried out in protest of his detention.^[4]

Nour's verdict and sentencing made global headlines and were the first item of news on most international news broadcasts, including the BBC.

In February 2006, Rice visited Hosni Mubarak yet never spoke Nour's name publicly. When asked about him at a news conference, she referred to his situation as one of Egypt's setbacks. Days later, Mubarak told a government newspaper that Rice "didn't bring up difficult issues or ask to change anything." From prison, Nour stated "I pay the price when [Rice] speaks [of me], and I pay the price when she doesn't," Nour said. "But what's happening to me now is a message to everybody."^[5]

[edit] US "troubled" and "disturbed" by imprisonment

On the day of Nour's guilty verdict and sentencing, the White House Press Secretary released the following statement denouncing the government's action:

"The United States is deeply troubled by the conviction today of Egyptian politician Ayman Nour by an Egyptian court. The conviction of Mr. Nour, the runner-up in Egypt's 2005 presidential elections, calls into question Egypt's commitment to democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. We are also disturbed by reports that Mr. Nour's health has seriously declined due to the hunger strike on which he has embarked in protest of the conditions of his trial and detention. The United States calls upon the Egyptian government to act under the laws of Egypt in the spirit of its professed desire for increased political openness and dialogue within Egyptian society, and out of humanitarian concern, to release Mr. Nour from detention."

[edit] Party Leadership

Soon after, some members of the Tomorrow Party removed Nour from the presidency (a move which is supported by the Egyptian government and Nour's political opponents), but Nour is still the official president of "El Ghad Party". Today, the Council of the State is looking into the case filed by the divided party, taking into consideration that Nour is still officially the president and the other members were expelled from the party three days before their actions (which included claiming that they are the leaders of "El Ghad Party" and issuing a party newspaper opposing the law of press production and also entering the parliament elections under the "El Ghad" name despite the fact that they were expelled).