Egypt: NGOs foreign funding investigation continues Secret bank account statements amounting to millions of pounds were found in the names of suspected NGO members, an investigation has affirmed. Ahsraf Al-Ashmawi, the judge investigating the case, said in a press conference on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Ministry of Justice in Cairo that there was evidence against 43 defendants working in five organisations, including US-based Freedom House, for receiving foreign funds to sponsor "illegal activities" in Egypt. Most of the defendants only have tourist visas and have allegedly committed tax violations.
Charges for receiving foreign funding from abroad can amount to five years of prison. In addition, running an illegal organisation can be punishable by imprisonment or a fine.
The investigations authority confiscated equipment and tools used in the headquarters of the NGOs in question, issued orders to close them, and requested the arrest of all fugitives.
The judges said the NGOs operated in Egypt without obtaining the necessary licenses from the government and they meddled in Egyptian policies in ways that had nothing to do with civil society activities.
On the other hand, Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri said on Wednesday: “Egypt will not change its stand on the issue of foreign funding for NGOs because of US aid.”