Egypt NGO staff in Cyprus
- 12 years ago
PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
Foreign activists working for non-government organisations in Egypt arrive in Cyprus after an Egyptian court lifted a ban to stop them leaving.
The group was escorted by U.S. embassy staff, but is believed to include other nationalities as well as U.S. citizens.
They were among 43 foreign NGO workers charged by Egyptian authorities, who said they were working for groups who received illegal foreign funding.
The workers include Sam LaHood, son of the U.S. transportation secretary.
Their departure is likely to defuse the worst row in decades between Washington and Cairo.
But U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland says there are still concerns over Egypt's crackdown on pro-democracy groups.
(SOUNDBITE): U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN VICTORIA NULAND SAYING (English):
"We had been concerned that this incident could have a severe impact on all of the things that we want to do together going forward. I would say that with regard to the NGO issue in general the departure of our people doesn't resolve the legal case or the larger issue concerning NGOs."
The NGO workers were freed on bail of up to 330, 000 dollars.
The U.S. says it's up to individuals to decide if they'll return to answer the charges.
Paul Chapman, Reuters
Foreign activists working for non-government organisations in Egypt arrive in Cyprus after an Egyptian court lifted a ban to stop them leaving.
The group was escorted by U.S. embassy staff, but is believed to include other nationalities as well as U.S. citizens.
They were among 43 foreign NGO workers charged by Egyptian authorities, who said they were working for groups who received illegal foreign funding.
The workers include Sam LaHood, son of the U.S. transportation secretary.
Their departure is likely to defuse the worst row in decades between Washington and Cairo.
But U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland says there are still concerns over Egypt's crackdown on pro-democracy groups.
(SOUNDBITE): U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN VICTORIA NULAND SAYING (English):
"We had been concerned that this incident could have a severe impact on all of the things that we want to do together going forward. I would say that with regard to the NGO issue in general the departure of our people doesn't resolve the legal case or the larger issue concerning NGOs."
The NGO workers were freed on bail of up to 330, 000 dollars.
The U.S. says it's up to individuals to decide if they'll return to answer the charges.
Paul Chapman, Reuters