Egyptian Court Dismisses Blasphemy Suit For Plaintiff's Lack of Standing

In Egypt yesterday, a court dismissed a second lawsuit charging businessman Naguib Sawiris with blasphemy for a cartoon of Mickey Mouse with a beard and Minnie Mouse in a veil which he tweeted last June. The court ruled that Ali Dergham, the conservative Salafi lawyer who brought the suit, lacked standing because he was not injured. The court sent the case to the prosecutor's office for further investigation. AP's report on the case reviews the rise in blasphemy cases filed by Salafi lawyers in recent months as their Al-Nour party has become the second most powerful in Egypt's new parliament. Last week a court dismissed another similar case against Sawiris on the same ground. (See prior posting.)