A court in Egypt has acquitted a prominent university professor of a series of charges, in a ruling campaigners for democracy and human rights issues are hailing as a victory.

The Court of Cassation returned a verdict of not guilty in March on all charges against Egyptian-American professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim.

Ibrahim, an internationally renowned sociologist, and head of a Cairo-based professional research organization, was first arrested in 2000. He was tried and convicted in state security court, and sentenced to a seven-year prison term in May 2001. The court of cassation overturned the conviction in Feb. 2002 and ordered a retrial. The case was retried in state security court and Ibrahim was convicted in July 2002 for the second time.

Now, the acquittal ends a case that raised a chorus of concern around the world. According to Amnesty International, which adopted Ibrahim as a prisoner of conscience, and Human Rights Watch, the charges against Ibrahim were "politically motivated" and symptomatic of the larger issue of democratic development in Egypt.

"The conviction sent shock waves through the community of human rights groups, professional syndicates and other NGOs. If the regime can do this to Saad Eddin Ibrahim - and get away with it - they can do it to anyone," the organizations said.

CAUT wrote a first and then a second letter to Egyptian president Hosni Mubarek urging that Ibrahim be given the right to appeal his case on the substance of the charges and the opportunity for a fair trial.

In a statement following the verdict, Democracy Egypt said, "The state security arrests, trials and convictions were clear attempts by some in Egypt to silence human rights groups and stifle the development of civil society. This decision represents an important victory for the rule of law and protection of human rights in Egypt."