§ 1. Sir WILLIAM BYLESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official information that a Native Court in Egypt has passed a sentence of ten years' imprisonment upon Ahmed Mukhtar, a young Egyptian Nationalist, for sedition; what form of sedition the prisoner was convicted of; whether he had ever been previously convicted of any similar offence; and "whether his sentence has received the approval of His Majesty's Government?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey)I have no official information respecting the sentence passed upon the individual in question. The matter is one within the competence of the Egyptian judicial authorities, and no question arises as to approval by His Majesty's Government.
§ Sir W. BYLESWhy should not a grave case of sedition which requires such a severe punishment as imprisonment for ten years be even communicated to the Foreign Office; and, with regard to the second part of the answer, has the Foreign Office no responsibility whatever, and 1457 ought not Parliament to be informed of such a serious affair?
§ Sir E. GREYOf course, the Foreign Office has a general responsibility for policy in Egypt, but, it is difficult and would be impossible for the Foreign Office to exercise supervision over details of administration. I should say the same is equally true of this House.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs it not possible to cheek these very long and barbarous sentences upon political offenders?
§ Sir E. GREYI am not prepared to say, without going into the circumstances of the case, that this is a long and barbarous sentence.