Cairo International Airport authorities on Monday prevented a Swedish NGO worker from leaving the country to Cyprus. His name was on a list of those banned from leaving the country due to their involvement in ongoing investigations of NGOs receiving foreign funding.
“During the passport check-in process for passengers boarding the Egyptian plane headed to Larnaca, the Swedish passenger Jean Eric (65 years old), who works at the ‘Think and Work ‘Organization, specializing in financing the building of churches and which is included in the investigation file concerning the foreign funded organizations, came forward and as his information was checked on the computer his name was found to be on the travel ban list,” an airport source said.
“Eric was accompanied by his wife, who isn’t included on the list and was allowed to leave, while Eric was prevented from traveling and his luggage was taken off the plane, which took off without him,” said the source. “The passenger was allowed to leave the airport without being arrested.”
Recently, Egypt referred 43 NGO employees, including 29 foreigners, to trial following investigations into illegal foreign funding of civil society organizations in Egypt.
