Activist dies AHMED Abdullah Rozza, an icon of the famed leftist 1970s student movement in Egypt, died of a heart attack on Tuesday evening at the age of 56. For three years the movement shook the country with its calls for democracy, a more equitable economic and social system and a "peoples war" against Israel, which was occupying Egypt's Sinai Peninsula at the time. Rozza provoked President Anwar El-Sadat when he demanded that he should go to the students in Cairo University where they were observing their famous sit-in rather than the students going to him. Sadat sarcastically referred to Rozza in a public speech back then as the "boy with a red scarf". Rozza was head of the National Students' Committee which led the 1972 student movement against Sadat and the historic sit-in which lasted for days in Cairo University until security forces broke it up by force when they stormed the campus for the first time in its history. Rozza was arrested three times, the longest of which was in 1973 when he was released only after the October War ended. He travelled to England following his release where he received a PhD in political science from Cambridge University in 1984. An international expert in political science, Rozza authored dozens of books and publications and research on politics, child labour, youth issues, Latin America and human rights. He is survived by a daughter, singer and actress Bushra, 25. Museum funds AT A GALA on Tuesday evening in the enchanting Mohamed Ali Shubra Palace, Mrs Suzanne Mubarak witnessed the launching of a fund-raising campaign for the construction of the planned Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) overlooking the Giza Plateau, writes Nevine El-Aref. The campaign aims at collecting $250 million from Egyptian and international businessmen and banks as part of a total approximate budget projected at $550 million. Early last month, the Japanese government granted Egypt a $300 million loan on easy terms, due after a 10-year grace period, to be settled in instalments in another 30 years with an interest rate of 1.5 per cent. Culture Minister Farouk Hosni said the dinner was "a great opportunity to encourage every Egyptian to contribute even a brick to build such an awe- inspiring cultural, archaeological and touristic institute." He announced that the Federation of Egyptian Banks had promised to contribute LE7.5 million. Farouk Abdel-Salam, first undersecretary at the Ministry of Culture, listed several options when contributing. "It could be via financing the cultivation of a garden like Egypt's Land or Nile Garden or by providing a kids museum and one for scientists and a lab." Arrests and releases PROSECUTORS extended for 15 days the imprisonment of 185 pro-democracy activists arrested a month ago for participating in peaceful demonstrations in solidarity with reform judges. Nine protesters including three women were released on Monday and Tuesday. Prosecutors extended the prison term for Muslim Brotherhood leaders Essam El-Erian and Mohamed Mursi, award-winning blogger Alaa Abdel-Fattah, veteran leftist activist Kamal Khalil and prominent activist Wael Khalil. Authorities can hold detainees for up to six months without trial under the emergency law. Resuming its clampdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest opposition group in parliament, police arrested nine leading members of the group on Sunday. An Interior Ministry statement said those arrested were attending "a secret organisational meeting of Brotherhood cadres." Police confiscated publications, documents and computers from the centre, the statement added. Approximately 650 MB members including prominent leaders of the group are currently in jail in connection with the judges' protests. The violence employed during most of the arrests, including claims by 24- year-old activist Mohamed El-Sharqawi last week that he was tortured and sodomised while in police custody, provoked the government-appointed National Council for Human Rights to issue a statement on Monday criticising the "cruel" treatment of protesters. An investigation into El-Sharqawi's claims resumed yesterday. Journalists in action THE PRESS Syndicate held a general assembly on Monday to discuss how to pressure the government into passing a law that would scrap custodial sentences for publication offences. As was agreed at the meeting, a number of Press Syndicate council members marched from the syndicate's headquarters to the office of the general prosecutor. Only council members were allowed in the office in which they demanded the release of journalists arrested for participating in demonstrations in solidarity with judges who are demanding more judicial rights. It was also agreed at the general assembly that 18 June be marked a day of solidarity with journalists. On that day the trial of the chief editor of the independent weekly newspaper Sawt Al-Umma, Wael El-Ibrashi, will begin at the Criminal Court. El-Ibrashi published a "black list" of judges who reportedly colluded with the authorities in falsifying the results of last year's parliamentary elections. Tragedy deal MAMDOUH Ismail, the owner of the ferry which sank in February and claimed the lives of over 1,000 people, transferred LE330 million into a compensation fund for victims run by the socialist prosecutor-general. Prosecutor Gaber Rihan said on Tuesday that in return for the money, he had lifted a freeze on the assets of ferry line owner Ismail and his family, and removed them from the list of people who cannot travel outside Egypt. Under the deal, the family of each victim will receive LE300,000 and LE50,000 for each survivor. Ismail had fled the country to Britain despite an international arrest warrant. His trial in absentia in the Red Sea town of Safaga began on Monday. The prosecutor-general had decided to refer Ismail to a misdemeanour court to face charges of manslaughter rather than murder. Observers believe Ismail's family will join him in Britain after liquidating their assets. Custody law approved ON TUESDAY, the consultative upper house of the Shura Council approved the new remand-in-custody law. The law, widely viewed as a political reform step, puts restrictions on the use of remand-in-custody rights and seeks other options such as ordering defendants not to leave their homes or visit police stations on a daily basis. Minister of Justice Mahmoud Abul-Leil said the new law would oblige prosecutors to give reasons when they remand citizens in custody. It also would restrict the right of remanding to prosecutors. Abul-Leil said that to date, such a right was being widely used by prosecution assistants. Although united in praising the law, Shura members said at least two articles should be amended. In coordination with Abul-Leil, Shura members decided that the right of remand-in-custody period would not exceed four (instead of six) months in misdemeanour cases and six months in felony cases. The government, however, objected to the article that states citizens who are remanded in custody but later acquitted of charges be financially compensated. "This can never be accepted because it can cost the treasury a lot of money," said Abul-Leil. He said the government was ready to provide "ethical compensation. This will take the form of publishing the names of citizens acquitted of charges in three national daily newspapers," Abul-Leil said. NGO interference EGYPT has asked an American NGO to suspend its activities in the country due to interference in Cairo's internal affairs, the Foreign Ministry said Monday. A ministry spokesman said Egypt had called on the International Republican Institute (IRI) to halt operations in Egypt until it has received the necessary permits. The decision came after the independent daily Nahdet Misr quoted Gina London, the Cairo head of the IRI, as being critical of the slow pace of reform in Egypt. "Talking of the role of the institute in speeding up 'change' is blatant interference in Egypt's internal affairs," the ministry spokesman told reporters. A lawyer for the institute played down the controversy. "It is all just a misunderstanding... The institute has not yet started its activities. It is still in the set-up phase," said Omar Hegazi. "We have almost finished the registration procedures and the file will be ready soon," he said. The IRI, with offices in more than 60 countries, was founded in April 1983 and is described on its website as "a private, non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing democracy worldwide."
