Egypt's Administrative Justice Court (AJC) sentenced former president Hosni Mubarak, former prime minister Ahmed Nazif and former minister of interior Habib al-Adly to pay 540 million EGP (U.S. $90 million) yesterday. The fine is to be paid to the public treasury of the state. The three men were fined over damages to the national economy as a result of their decision to cut off the internet and mobile phone services during Egypt's January 25 Revolution. The AJC said it found the men guilty because their decision was not spontaneously taken as a form of response to the uprising but was deliberate and intentional, and had been decided upon long before January 25. The court ruled that Habib al-Adly was the main perpetrator and consequently ordered him to pay 300 million EGP (U.S. $50 million). As accomplices, the former president is to pay 200 million EGP (U.S. $34 million) in compensation while Nazif is to pay 40 million EGP (U.S. $6.7 million). The court said the decision to cut off internet and mobile services was not taken to protect national security but rather was intended to maintain order and protect Mubarak's personal interests. According to the court, the peaceful demonstrations did not pose enough of a security threat to merit the shutting down of communication services. The Center for Information and Decision Support at the Council of Ministers revealed that the losses sustained by the telecommunications sector as a result of having communications disconnected for five days reached U.S. $90 million. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, this amount excludes the economic effects on businesses in other sectors such as electronic commerce, tourism and other industries based on the stability of the Internet and telecommunication services. The amount also excludes the damages sustained by citizens. The court emphasized that the amount of the compensation was in accordance with Articles No. 169, 170, 221, and 222 of the Civil Code and Article 170 of the same law. Regarding compensation to the telecommunications companies, AJC said the case will not be tried before the AJC. It added that any judgment on the case would be in accordance with Article 68 of the Telecommunications Regulatory Act. The court appealed to the legislators and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has been charged with Egypt's administration since Mubarak stepped down on Feb. 11, to reappraise section VI of the Telecommunications Regulatory Act and to abolish all texts which give any power to cut off Internet and communication services. AJC concluded by saying that cutting off Internet and mobile services violates many of the people's rights and freedoms. The sentence was issued under the chairmanship of judge and First Deputy Chairman of the State Council, Hamdi Yassin Okasha, Judges Hatem Daoud, Mohamed Al-Said, Hosni Bashir, and Abdul Majid, Massad, and the court's Vice President, Tamer Abdullah.
