Employees at Bibliotheca Alexandrina were surprised that 18 of them were referred by prosecution to trial over breaking protest law, as they took part in a protest by the workers in October 2011.
In a statement on Friday, the Centre for Trade Union and Workers' Services (CTUWS) denounced their referral to court, expressing solidarity with them. It said that leveling such accusations against the workers after almost two years raises concerns, especially after Bibliotheca Alexandrina Chief Ismail Serag Eddin was recently named as cultural advisor to prime minister.
The statement also considered such incidents as evidence of state of hostility and revenge by officials toward whoever expresses opinion. It also called on all democratic groups in society to express solidarity with the workers.
Emad Nabawy, lawyer with CTUWS, said the lawsuit was filed in January 2012 against six of the workers over defamation of Serag Eddin during their protest and calling for his dismissal.
In press remarks, Nabawy said the workers earlier gathered signatures to dismiss Serag Eddin. The signatures reached around 1,700 out of the total number of workers of 2,400. They were surprised that the prosecution changed the lawsuit from defamation to protesting and hindering of work as well as including more workers.
The protest law was adopted in November 2013 under rule of Interim President Adly Mansour.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
