By POMED –

Human Rights First, a U.S.-based human rights organization, released a new report on Wednesday detailing the Egyptian government’s severe crackdown on dissent and nongovernmental organizations under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The report, “How to Protect Civil Society and Promote Stability in Egypt,” urges the Trump administration to “withhold the 15 percent of [Foreign Military Financing] funding authorized by Congress under the FY2016 appropriation act unless and until the Egyptian government introduces extensive human rights reform,” and provides a number of other recommendations for Congress and the administration. The FY16 consolidated appropriations act mandates that 15 percent of U.S. FMF aid be withheld until the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that the Egyptian government has taken steps to advance a number of human rights and governance goals.

“Citing a steadily worsening human rights situation, activists and foreign diplomats in Cairo urge the U.S. government to withhold military aid from the Egyptian government. They say this would send an important signal to the government of President Sisi, put a brake on its repression of civil society, and help create vital space for peaceful dissent,” the report says.

The report emphasizes the failings of a U.S. approach to Egypt that ignores government repression in the name of stability. The author of the report, Brian Dooley, said that “as long as Egyptian authorities suppress peaceful dissent, they are part of the problem of growing instability, not part of the solution.” He added that “Enforced disappearances, torture and mass jailing fuel extremism. The U.S. government needs to persuade its allies in Cairo to get off this dangerous path fast. Friends don’t let friends foster terrorism.”

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Photo credit: Egyptian Streets

http://mailchi.mp/pomed/egypt-daily-update-842561?e=8e9e92eefa