The Egyptian government will need a British lawyer to begin the legal process to extradite former Finance Minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali to Egypt, Egyptian Consul in London Amr Hanawy has said.
He said the expert would convince the British government that Boutros-Ghali had a fair trial in Egypt and will enjoy the same elements of a fair trial when he is returned, as he has the right to appeal his verdict.
“There is no extradition treaty between Egypt and the UK,” Hanawy said at a press conference in Cairo.
Hanawy emphasized the “need to separate between the media and political aspects [of the case] and the legal procedures required of us to move forward.”
“The Justice Ministry in Egypt is the framework that deals with judicial systems in other countries, but the role of the Foreign Ministry in this matter is governed by the Vienna Convention [for Diplomatic Relations],” he said.
“Recovering Egyptian funds in London requires the same procedures as those in the Youssef Boutros-Ghali case,” said Hanawy. “Egypt needs experts … as the European banking system is very complex and needs someone familiar with UK laws.”
Last year, the Illicit Gains Authority, an anti-graft government body, said Mubarak and his sons, Alaa and Gamal, have assets in Swiss banks estimated at about US$350 million.
Hanawy said the consulate’s role in this case is limited to receiving requests and passing them on to the concerned authorities in Egypt, after which these authorities relay the response to the person who submitted the request.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
