The liberal Al-Ghad Party is embroiled in a new legal labyrinth, writes Mona El-Nahhas As members of the liberal Ghad Party awaited a ruling from the Administrative Court over whether or not the party's former leader could be released from jail on health grounds they were surprised by a judgment from another quarter. On 4 July, Cairo Southern Court ruled in favour of Moussa Mustafa Moussa, a former deputy chairman of Al-Ghad who has been fighting since September 2005 to be recognised as party chairman. In its ruling Cairo Southern Court addressed Safwat El-Sherif in his capacity as the chairman of the Political Parties Committee -- affiliated to the Shura Council -- asking him to hand Moussa the annual financial aid allocated to political parties, effectively recognising Moussa as the chairman of Al-Ghad. The court based its ruling on the general assembly meeting called by Moussa in October 2005 which then elected him as party chairman. The court said that the general assembly was valid and its proceedings lawful. After leaving the court, Moussa headed straight for the Political Parties Committee, handing officials a copy of the ruling passed in his favour and demanding he be paid the LE300,000 estimated by the court. Moussa said he would continue with his legal battle by filing complaints with the prosecutor-general against Ihab El-Kholi, the current chairman of the party, and Gamila Ismail, Nour's wife and the party's deputy chairman who, he says, occupy their posts illegally. The ruling was criticised by both El-Kholi and Ismail, who denounced it as part of an ongoing campaign against the party orchestrated by the regime. El-Kholi sent a memorandum to El-Sherif asking him to contest the ruling within 40 days, arguing that Moussa was dismissed from the party's ranks a month before he called for the 2005 general assembly. El-Kholi has yet to receive a reply. According to Ahmed Ashour, the party's legal advisor, the Political Parties Committee is unlikely to challenge the ruling. "This is exactly what they want, to destroy Nour's party after they have destroyed Nour's political future," Ashour told Al-Ahram Weekly. Nour, who was placed second to President Hosni Mubarak in the first multi-candidate presidential elections in 2005, is currently serving a five-year prison term after being found guilty of forging the signatures needed to have the party officially licenced. Even if he is released on health grounds Nour, as a convicted felon, would be banned from reentering political life. Many members of Al-Ghad believe that Moussa received encouragement from official quarters to pursue a legal campaign aimed at undermining the party. Yet others say that Moussa was himself threatened with imprisonment over the signatures case unless he helped the authorities divide the party. The court ruling, while recognising Moussa as party chairman, did not mention El-Kholi's own legal status. "In other words the ruling has turned the Ghad Party into a battlefield with two chairmen struggling for power," Ashour noted. The party's higher committee is expected to meet today and discuss its position following the court ruling. El-Kholi cannot take legal measures to question the ruling since he was not part of the lawsuit filed by Moussa. On 17 July, Cairo Southern Court began hearing a second lawsuit relating to Al-Ghad. Party member Ahmed Saqr is contesting the results of party elections held in March. Saqr, who received just four votes, has accused Ismail of rigging the elections in favour of El-Kholi.
