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Judge Makram Awaad told Egyptian media that the 43 individuals received U.S. funding “in an attempt to contain the revolution, distort its trajectories, and directing it for serving the U.S. and Israeli interests” — according to a transcript translated by Freedom House, one of the NGOs implicated in the trial.

Ms. Betz — whose work with a variety of Africa-based NGOs requires up to 50% travel — has been grounded in the United States since the charges were laid against her 18 months ago. She’s only travelled once, to visit her father in Calgary.

“We’ve been living this hell for 18 months,” Ms. Betz. “It’s been particularly hellish watching my Egyptian colleagues receive death threats, have their kids get beaten up at school, lose their jobs.”

A long list of countries currently holding extradition treaties with Egypt has rendered much of the globe off limits to the woman, who helped operate a training facility for citizen journalists in Cairo with the International Centre for Journalism during the revolution.

She was back at her home in Washington D.C., when she learned via Twitter that charges against her had been laid. Ms. Betz was not present at the trial.

Now, the Calgary native is afraid to stray far from her U.S. base, fearing Egypt’s ruling Islamist party could issue a warrant for her arrest with Interpol. But more than her current idleness, Ms. Betz is dismayed by the inaction of the Canadian and American governments, who continue to provide aid to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood-led government