WASHINGTON, DC - Chairman Robert Menendez released the following statement following the ruling by an Egyptian court to convict 43 NGO employees earlier today:

"Today's ruling by an Egyptian court to convict 43 NGO employees is a step in the wrong direction for a nation undergoing a democratic transition. These workers, many of them American, were on the ground in Egypt over the last two years to encourage democratic processes, openness, civilian participation and electoral integrity. The court's decision coupled with the troubling proposed NGO law is a major setback for the nation's transition to democracy."

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