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article 98 of the Penal Code-with forming a communist organization and
rinting or possessing anti-government pamphlets. Their initial appeals for elease on bail were refused, but in March 1975, AI learned that another appeal had been granted. The date of their trial is not yet known at the time of writing (June 1975).
AI has taken up the cases of over 150 people who were arrested as a result of the New Year's Day demonstrations. They include workers, trade unionists, students, journalists, lawyers, writers and artists. After the 1975 budget was announced, more than 1,000 workers demonstrated in the streets of Cairo over the worsening economic situation. Students and leftwing sympathizers joined in, and rioting broke out when workers were prevented from presenting their case to the National Assembly.
Some of the demonstrators were arrested, and during the following weeks other arrests were made, including students (students had demonstrated on three separate occasions for the release of detained workers) and well-known leftwing intellectuals and former members of the Communist Party (the Communist Party is banned in Egypt and many of those arrested had been imprisoned for long periods during President Gamal Abdul Nasser's era). The government blamed the left wingers for provoking the disturbances. Exact numbers of those arrested are not known, but are believed to run into the hundreds. A few were later acquitted and some were successful in appealing for their release on bail.
Al is also looking into the cases of those arrested during violent demonstra- tions which broke out in March at the Mehalla Al Kobra cotton mill complex, again over prices and inflation.
AI sent a Turkish lawyer, Dr Yuksel Ersoy, as its observer at a trial on 23 March of 14 Alexandrians, mostly textile factory workers, who were arrested in June 1973 and charged under article 48 of the Criminal Law with forming and belonging to a communist organization with the aim of overthrowing the existing social order. (Nineteen persons were in fact charged: three had escaped arrest and two had been released on bail.) AI's main concern in these cases was the very long period of detention without trial and the allegations that one of the defendants had been seriously maltreated during interrogation. On 23 March the Supreme State Security Court ordered their release on bail and adjourned the trial until 22 June.
Secretary General Martin Ennals sent cables on 26 November and 30 January to President Anwar Sadat pressing for the commutation of death sentences passed on Egyptians accused of spying. In 1974-75 three people were executed and seven others were sentenced to death, although at the time of writing, AI had not heard whether the sentences have been carried out or not. Al has received some allegations of torture in Egypt, but nonetheless there have been encouraging signs that steps are being taken in Egypt to safeguard fundamental human rights. In April 1975, an Egyptian imprisoned during the 1960s and who had been subjected to severe maltreatment, was awarded substantial damages by a court. In a letter to President Sadat, Mr Ennals welcomed this step and expressed the hope that the Egyptian government would continue its exemplary efforts for the cause of human rights.