If 's arrest in 2005 was unexpected so was last week's release of the opposition leader. Mona El-Nahhas talks to the founder of the liberal Ghad Party about his plans now that he is free What are your priorities following your release? Re-building the Ghad Party comes top of my priorities. During the past four years the party has faced a series of blows. Attempts to undermine the party and its moral standing were continuous. Founded in October 2004, the Ghad was allowed to operate without interference for just 89 days yet still it achieved remarkable results. Then came my detention. Had the party had more time it could have pushed effectively for political reform. Now it's time to re-build the party. This will be done through restructuring and a widening of its membership, opening channels between the party and the people across Egypt. In the coming few days I'll be touring Alexandria and other provinces. We will knock on the doors of houses and speak to people in a language they understand. How easy will the process of re-building the Ghad be? Its headquarters has been burned down, its membership is shrinking, financial resources are scarce... Re-building is based on human resources. People are more important than money. They are the cornerstone in re-building any party and in improving its performance. Gathering people together is not a random exercise. It requires thorough organisation if people are to be allowed to make the most of their abilities. We intend to re-build the Ghad Party, continue the struggle for change and reform, and deprive our opponents of their ultimate goal, which was to undermine our role in the political scene. When the prosecutor-general ordered your release you denied that being set free was the result of a deal. Why do you think you were released? There was no deal, or even negotiations, prior to my release. If they had set any conditions for releasing me I would have thanked them and returned to my cell. Why would I offer any concessions? In July, according to the law, I would have been free in any case, having served three quarters of my sentence. They released me a few months in advance. That does not require a deal. I have not changed my position over the issue of the inheritance of power or the urgent need for political reform. Nor am I against negotiation or dialogue as long as they are conducted between equal partners. Just days before your release you were still being stopped from writing, visits were banned, access to medication limited, and you were even prevented from praying at the prison mosque. Suddenly you were set free. A car took you to your flat in Zamalek and the following day your belongings were delivered. Doesn't the situation require some explanation? I have no clear-cut explanation for the sudden change in the attitude of the authorities. The last few months were the worst for me. My rights as a prisoner were flagrantly violated. Court rulings issued in my favour were repeatedly ignored. Then they decided to release me. Why? I have no idea. Whatever their reasons it is a positive move which I hope will be followed by other moves to enrich democratic life in Egypt. I want to see the release of all prisoners of conscience. What do you make of suggestions that your release was aimed at improving Egyptian- American relations ahead of President Hosni Mubarak's proposed visit to the US next April? I hope that US pressure, or any other foreign pressure, was not behind my release. I would be happiest if such decision was 100 per cent Egyptian, made as part of a move towards national reconciliation including all domestic political forces. A week before your release the Administrative Court ruled in favour of your own camp vis-à-vis the internal power struggle within the Ghad. How do you regard this decision? I did not weep the day I was condemned but when I heard about that ruling I couldn't hold back my tears. It seemed as if the divine justice interfered and took my side. I felt that there was still hope though at that time I did not consider it as an indication of my release. How do you expect the regime will deal with you now? I hope it will embark on a rational dialogue based on respect and the acceptance of opposition in order to move towards necessary reforms. I do not know if this will take place. After your release you announced that you would return immediately to politics. How is this possible given that as a convicted felon six years must pass before you can exercise your political rights? For me a political career means expressing my views on political issues and taking part in the reform process. This is what I am going to do. As I said before, I do not intend to occupy the post of the party chairman. As to Article 25 of the penal code, I will contest its constitutionality on the grounds that it places limits on citizens practising their constitutional rights. I believe my legal position is sound though I would not want to expose my reasons for this belief now. There are certain legal cards I'd rather keep in my hand, for the time being at least. And what about standing in the next presidential elections? It is too early to make any decision on that. It is a decision which should be made by the party. It is up to the party to name its candidate. You have called for a dialogue with all political forces, including the ruling National Democratic Party. Is this an attempt to turn a new leaf with the regime? When I invited political powers to take part in a national dialogue reform and change were my goal. The NDP exists and we cannot ignore it whatever our differences. Opposition forces cannot afford to remain in closed rooms talking among themselves.
