CAIRO: The conviction of Habib al-Adly is proof of the credibility of Egypt's ruling military council and caretaker government, the BBC said yesterday. It said Egypt's ruling institutions have honored their commitment to prosecute symbols of corruption from the former regime. Among those figures is Habib al-Adly, Egypt's former Minister of Interior and a man universally hated by the Egyptian populace for his agency's brutal repression of freedoms and abuses of human rights. Al-Adly was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison and fined 22 million EGP, around U.S. $4 million. The United States has also praised the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which was charged with Egypt's administration on Feb. 11 with the resignation of 30-year President Hosni Mubarak. The SCAF has responded to the Egyptian peoples' aspirations of democracy and is taking serious steps to meet the peoples' demands, said Michael Posner, U.S. assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor. The SCAF supervised the constitutional amendments approved in a Mar. 19 referendum. Posner said this will pave the way for democratic elections, ending the emergency law, and improving political parties law. Posner said the SCAF has taken serious steps to reorganize the State Security service, recognized independent syndicates, and rebuilt a church in Helwan, south Cairo, which was destroyed in a sectarian dispute. The U.S. official also welcomed the SCAF's pledge to review all recent imprisonments. The BBC highlighted statements by Egypt's Minister of Justice, who said the law is above all. All defendants will face a fair trial, he said. The minister added that should Mubarak be convicted of involvement in the death of demonstrators during Egypt's January 25 Revolution, he could face the death penalty. Posner confirmed that Washington will carry on encouraging the council to honor its commitments. He said the next phase will witness strict measures to counter sectarian violence, discrimination against religious minorities, and discrimination against women's participation. MOHAMED AL-HENAWY in Cairo and MENA in Washington contributed to this report. Translation by BISHOY RAMZY REYAD.
