August 1, 2002

His Excellency Muhammad Hosni Mubarak
President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
'Abedine Palace
Cairo, Egypt


Excellency:

We, the presidents of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine of the United States of America, are deeply distressed that the second trial of our Egyptian/American colleague, Professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim, has ended in a conviction and that, despite a serious illness, he has been imprisoned again.

Professor Ibrahim is known to us and many of our members as a man of integrity and scholarly distinction. He has shown commitment to justice, human rights, democratic values, and his native Egypt. Professor Ibrahim, who is 63 years old, is, according to his family, suffering from a serious neurological disorder for which he requires and has requested medical treatment abroad.

We write to you, Mr. President, to respectfully request that you use your constitutionally granted powers to release Professor Ibrahim from prison, as well as those colleagues who were sentenced with him, pending their appeal, and to allow Professor Ibrahim to receive vital medical treatment abroad. This humanitarian gesture would be respected and appreciated by us and by the members of the scientific, engineering, and medical community that we represent.

Sincerely,

Bruce Alberts
President
National Academy of Sciences

William A. Wulf
President
National Academy of Engineering

Harvey V. Fineberg
President
Institute of Medicine



cc: Colin L. Powell, Secretary of State
John Marburger, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
Member Institutions of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies