IPU APPLAUDS THE RELEASE OF EGYPTIAN LEGISLATOR AYMAN NOUR

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) welcomes the release on health grounds of former opposition member of the Egyptian parliament Mr. Ayman Nour.

Mr. Nour was arrested in January 2005 on a charge of forging signatures to set up his Al Gad party and sentenced in December 2005 to a five-year prison term.

"The IPU, whose Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians has raised a series of questions regarding the proceedings, has consistently expressed concern at Mr. Nour’s state of health and pleaded in favour of a pardon for Mr. Nour and his release", said the President of the Committee, Canadian Senator Sharon Carstairs. "The Committee welcomes this good news and hopes that Mr. Nour will be allowed to fully participate in the political process in his country", added Senator Carstairs.

The IPU helps legislators to represent their constituents freely, safely and effectively. In 1976, it established the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, which has since examined cases in over 100 countries and, in many instances, helped to provide victims or those at risk with protection or redress. This has taken a variety of forms, such as the release of detained parliamentarians, reinstatement to a previously revoked parliamentary seat, payment of compensation for abuses suffered, investigation of such abuses and effective legal action against their perpetrators.