Dangling the Carrot and Wielding the Stick in Egypt

All three judges in Egypt's trial of 43 NGO workers have pulled out of the case, according to a court official.

The defendants, including 16 US citizens, are charged with using illegal foreign funds to foment unrest that has roiled Egypt over the past year.

The non-governmental organisations flatly deny the charges, and US officials have hinted foreign aid to Egypt could be in jeopardy because of the case.

Mohammed Shoukry, the lead judge in the case, said on Tuesday that "the court felt uneasiness" in handling the case, according to a court official. He did not elaborate.

The trial has so far only made it as far as its opening session, and would need to be restarted with a new panel of judges. 

[...]

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, told two senate panels on Tuesday that the US and Egypt, which has long been considered a close ally of Washington, were "in very intensive discussions about finding a solution".

"We've had a lot of very tough conversations," she said. "We're moving toward a resolution. It's important that they know that we are continuing to push them," Clinton said.

[...]

"The reason for the judges’ action is not particularly clear and the timing, coming after the statement by Hillary Clinton, may or may not have influenced their actions," he said.   alJazeera

Yeah. Maybe it DIDN'T. Ha.

PJ Crowley, the former US state department spokesperson, told Al Jazeera […] "On the other hand, you need the fundamental pillar of democracy that is an independent judiciary, and these judges for whatever reasons are indicating that they are uncomfortable with the position they were put in."

For whatever reasons.