Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Zuma urged to act for ailing SA lawyer held in Cairo prison
THE family of an Islamic scholar languishing in an Egyptian jail for criminal and political detainees, for his alleged association with a “terrorist group”, feels let down by the South African government.
They hoped President Jacob Zuma, who was in the Egyptian capital Cairo for talks with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi this week, would redeem their faith in the government and bring Dr Abdel Salam Bassiouni home.
Bassiouni, 65, an Egyptianborn lawyer from Gauteng, whose health is said to be deteriorating, has been held in prison since December.
He travelled there with his family for his daughter’s engagement, but on their arrival on December 2 he and his son Bilal were detained and interrogated by airport officials. Bilal was freed after 24 hours, but his father was jailed.
Bilal, who returned home several weeks later, said his father had settled in South Africa in 1990 and had visited Egypt several times.
The Egyptian government believed he had political ties with the Muslim Brotherhood.
“He has no political ties with any party there. He has not been charged or allowed legal representation.”
His detention was being renewed every 15 days.
The Muslim Brotherhood began as a pan-Islamic, religious and social movement. It was declared a terrorist group by the interim Egyptian government in 2013.
Bilal said his father was being detained illegally.
He had asked South African officials for help, but his pleas had fallen on deaf ears. A letter to Zuma’s office in January seeking government intervention went unanswered.
“I don’t know why there is so much reluctance to help. It is heartbreaking when official representatives in our government are taking so long to do anything. My dad has become a forgotten man. He has not committed a crime or done any- thing wrong, so I think on that level of discussion with the Egyptian president Zuma can do it.”
His mother Amal and brother Taariq remained in Egypt.
“They visit him every week for about 10 minutes, but have to travel four hours to get to the prison. My father’s health is deteriorating. He is diabetic and has no medication. He has high blood pressure. They say he has been forced to sleep on the floor and is suffering with his back and is struggling to walk.”
Bilal said his father was an active citizen who had worked to uplift underprivileged communities and to establish char- ity organisations.
Iqbal Jassat, an executive member of the Media Review Network, told the Post, a sister paper to the Weekend Argus, that Bassiouni’s rights as a South African had been violated.
“The South African government has turned a blind eye and I am deeply perturbed.”
Jassat said there had been an uproar when South African teacher Pierre Korkie was taken hostage by al-Qaeda militants in Yemen.
“Why is everyone so quiet now? Urgent steps must be taken to secure Mr Bassiouni’s release.”
Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said that if a let- ter had been sent to the president’s office regarding illegal detention, it would have been passed on to the International Relations and Co- operation department.
There was a process the department had to follow.
Nelson Kgwete, spokesman for that department, said authorities at the South African embassy in Cairo were liaising with the Egyptian government. In South Africa, the department was engaged with the Egyptian ambassador.
“These are the efforts of the South African government. The government is definitely working on the case by engaging with authorities through the relevant channels.” he said.