Foreign Ministry has categorically denied reports on the issuance of a royal pardon for the Egyptian doctors Raouf Al-Arab and Shawki Abd Rabbo, who have been sentenced to be lashed. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry's official for the Egyptians abroad said he had contacted the Egyptian ambassador in Saudi Arabia Mohamed Ouf and the Egyptian consul in Jeddah Ali Al-Ashri who denied that such reports after they had contacted the Saudi side. Ouf has stressed that this issue is still under discussion and the Egyptian side makes great efforts in this regard to convince the Saudi side to reconsider the sentence.
"The Saudi brothers have responded to the Egyptian efforts and stopped the lash sentence due to health and diplomatic considerations. In addition, the Egyptian Ambassador in Saudi Arabia has recently met with the Saudi officials to discuss the issue."
The Egyptian Consul in Jeddah has recently visited the two doctors to inquire after their health. The two doctors told the Egyptian consul that they had contacts their families in Egypt and there are constant communications between the doctors and the Egyptian consulate. On the other hand, the Saudi security authorities have deported 64 Egyptians for violating residency rules.
The deportees have arrived to Egypt on board Egypt Air plane coming from the Saudi city of Jeddah.
