29 December 2011
Egyptian police were searching the Cairo offices of four Egyptian and US rights groups on Thursday, according to representatives of the organisations and judicial sources.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) were the two US groups targeted by the operation, Heba Morayef of the global rights group Human Rights Watch and judicial sources said.
The Arab Centre for the Independence of Justice (ACIJ) was also being investigated, its head Nasser Amin told AFP, as was the Egyptian Budgetary and Human Rights Organisation, according to another judicial source.
“Members of the police force and the army entered our organisation’s headquarters accompanied by members of the prosecution,” ACIJ’s Amin said.
The search operations were ordered by the prosecution service “following complaints of the NGOs (non-governmental organisations) receiving foreign support,” a court official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
An AFP journalist saw access to the Cairo offices of the NDI being prohibited by members of the security forces, while men were seen carrying out boxes full of documents.
ANP/AFP
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