×

Our award-winning reporting has moved

Context provides news and analysis on three of the world’s most critical issues:

climate change, the impact of technology on society, and inclusive economies.

Court upholds ban on Egypt presidency contender

by Reuters
Sunday, 16 October 2011 15:49 GMT

* Founder of Ghad Party lost to Mubarak in 2005

* Nour cast doubt over objectivity of the judge

By Tamim Elyan

CAIRO, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Egyptian presidential hopeful Ayman Nour on Sunday failed in a bid to overturn a ruling that bars him from running for public office, imposed in 2005 when he was convicted of forging documents.

A court turned down the appeal by Nour, the leader of al-Ghad party, who was sentenced to five years in prison due to the conviction. Nour was released in February 2009 on health grounds.

Egyptian law does not let former convicts run for the presidency until five years after the end of their jail term.

"I am not surprised by this verdict because the ruling military council has refused to cancel laws imposing lifetime bans on convicts -- it appears to be a line this regime is following," Nour told Reuters shortly after the verdict.

He said Sunday's verdict by the Cassation Court, Egypt's highest court of appeal, was invalid as the judge had been a member of the Political Parties Affairs Committee, a body accused of helping former President Hosni Mubarak's government suppress opposition groups including al-Ghad.

"He can't be an opponent and an arbitrator at the same time," Nour said, pledging to press ahead with his presidential campaign.

Mubarak was overthrown in February in a popular uprising and the ruling generals have promised to oversee fair elections and a transition to civilian government.

Nour, 48, came a distant second to Mubarak in the 2005 election, Egypt's first and only multi-candidate presidential race.

Rights groups and witnesses said the vote was marred by abuses.

Nour has said the conviction for forging party membership papers was trumped up by the state as part of a harassment campaign against his party.

"I will present new reasons to challenge the ruling and I will continue participating in political life," Nour said.

Another presidential candidate, Hamdeen Sabahi, said: "It's not logical that Ayman Nour gets banned from practising his right to stand for the presidency while the remnants of the regime and the corrupt are running." (Reporting By Tamim Elyan)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


-->