Ouda Tarabin, a dual Egyptian-Israeli citizen currently serving time for espionage, plans to file a lawsuit against the Egyptian government at the International Criminal Court for unlawful arrest. He demands to be released and to receive compensation of US$100 million.
Tarabin was found guilty of spying for Israel and sentenced to 15 years in prison at the Ismailia Military Court in 2000. He has been imprisoned in Egypt ever since.
In April, Al-Masry Al-Youm reported that Israel and Egypt were allegedly in talks to release Tarabin in exchange for the release of 60 Egyptian prisoners held in Israel, but the deal fell through.
According to an Israeli television channel, a team from the United Nations Commission of Human Rights has investigated Tarabin’s case, and recently stated that Tarabin was subjected to arbitrary arrest and had not received a fair trial.
The channel added that Tarabin’s lawyers are planning to use that recommendation to support their case against the Egyptian government.
Tarabin’s defense team sent a letter to President Mohamed Morsy demanding his release during Ramadan, or at least a retrial, the TV station claimed.
The channel reported that a delegation from the Israeli Embassy in Cairo has visited Tarabin twice in prison. They quoted the detainee as saying, “I lay all the hopes of my release on the new regime, and I am sure they will realize that my arrest was not fair.”
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
