§ Baroness Ludfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations from (a) officials and (b) Ministers have been made to the Egyptian Government in each month since May regarding the arrest on Friday 11 May of 52 men aboard it floating nightclub on the Nile; on what date and in what form each representation was made; how many representations the Government have received with regard to this matter from the general public; and what reply has been obtained from the Egyptian Government. [HL1488]
§ Baroness AmosWe remain concerned about this case and have followed its course very closely. We are particularly concerned that the men were tried in a state security emergency court. A representative of our embassy in Cairo attended the trial, and was present at the sentencing on 15 November. Our embassy has regularly spoken to Egyptian Goverment officials about the case and have made representations at a senior level since the verdict was announced. Ben Bradshaw, the Minister responsible for relations with Egypt, raised the case here with the Egyptian Ambassador on 17 July and in Egypt with the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 19 July. We have also reported EU representations. Following the sentencing of 23 of the defendants, the EU troika made a demarche in Cairo on 22 November. The Egyptian authorities have replied that the men were charged with a criminal offence, under the Prostitution Law and that the trial process was a fair one. We have received approximately 20 representations from the general public about this case.