General Consul of Egypt in Jeddah Ali Al-Ashry announced that his representative two days ago visited the two doctors - Rauf Al-Arabi and Shawky Abd Rabo - who have been sentenced to prison and 1500 lashes after the Saudi authorities agreed to it. In special statements to Al-Masry Al-Youm by phone from Jeddah, he said that the two doctors told Consul Walid Al-Tabie that they are receiving record treatment and that the condition of the ward in which they are housed is good. He added that Doctor Rauf called his wife and mother to reassure them of his health. As for doctor Shawky, he said that he does not remember the phone numbers of the members of his family. Al-Ashiry said that both doctors said that there is full cooperation by the authorities, pointing out that one of the doctors asked the consul to buy him some medicine, which he did. He added that doctor Al-Arabi told consul Walid that the penalty inflicted on them is currently suspended and that the prison management allows them from time to time to follow up the media. He went on to say that consul Walid felt at the end of his visit that their morale is high and that they are fond that their case was met with concern on all levels in Egypt. Al-Ashiry pointed out that doctor Rauf said that his lawyer is on regular contact with them while the lawyer of doctor Shawky refused to continue with the case. He stressed that the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and the Egyptian Embassy in Riyadh as well as the general Egyptian Consulate in Jeddah are regularly in touch with all developments regarding the case.
