EGYPT: Emergency update: Maikel Nabil Sanad to be tried tomorrow, 31 March, 10am Cairo time

War Resisters' International received information that detained Egyptian pacifist and conscientious objector will be tried at a military court tomorrow, 31 March, at 10am Cairo time, on charges of "insulting the military" and "obstructing public security". He was detained on 28 March late in the evening, and has been under investigation since (see co-alert, 30 March 2011). He will be represented by well-known human rights lawyer Nejad El-Boraee, but nevertheless it is to be feared that he will be sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

Given the urgency, War Resisters' International calls for urgent protest faxes to embassies of Egypt abroad. A list of embassies is available at http://www.mfa.gov.eg/English/Embassies/Pages/Listing.aspx.

In addition, protest faxes should be sent to:

Director of Military Judiciary

Major-General Ahmed Abd Allah

Military Judicial Department

Cairo, Egypt

Fax: +202 2 402 4468 / +202 2 411 3452 (ask for fax)

Military General Attorney

Major-General Medhat Radwan

Military Judicial Department Cairo, Egypt

+202 2 412 0980 (ask for fax)

Minister of Defence

His Excellency Muhammad Tantawi

Ministry of Defence Cairo, Egypt

mmc@afmic.gov.eg ; mod@afmic.gov.eg

A protest email can be sent at http://wri-irg.org/node/12474.

A sample protest fax, that can be adapted for use, can be downloaded from:

- Microsoft Word: http://wri-irg.org/system/files/MaikelNabilLetter30032011-version2.doc

- OpenDocument: http://wri-irg.org/system/files/MaikelNabilLetter30032011-version2.odt

- PDF: http://wri-irg.org/system/files/MaikelNabilLetter30032011-version2.pdf