§ Mr. DILLONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention had been drawn to the fact that Farid Bey, the leader of the National party in Egypt, was tried not under the ordinary law but under a special law enacted last year by decree; whether, under this law, the accused is tried by judges specially selected by the executive, without jury or right of appeal; and whether, in view of the character of the offence alleged against Farid Bey, he will advise the Egyptian Government to remit the remainder of his sentence?
§ Sir EDWARD GREYThe law dealing with Press offences was amended last year by a decree promulgated before the commission of the offence for which Mohammed Farid Bey was convicted. There is therefore no special connection between the amendment of the law and the case in point. I have no information with regard to the matters dealt with in 1374 the second part of the question, and the reply to the third part is in the negative. His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General in Egypt has been instructed to send a report on the trial.