By POMED –
On March 7, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein described the Egyptian government’s suppression of freedom of expression in recent months as creating a “pervasive climate of intimidation.” Al-Hussein highlighted measures taken by PresidentAbdel Fattah al-Sisi in the lead up to the election, saying, “Potential candidates have allegedly been pressured to withdraw, some through arrests. Legislation prevents candidates and supporters from organizing rallies. Independent media have been silenced, with over 400 media and NGO websites completely blocked.” With additional arrests of journalists and television hosts in recent weeks, rights organizations have called on the Egyptian government to stop its “intimidation campaign.” Later this month, the UN is also expected to release a report that “contains new information about the cargo of a rusty North Korean freighter intercepted off the coast of Egypt in 2016. The ship was carrying 30,000 rocket-propelled grenades worth an estimated $26 million.”
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Photo Credit: FILE – Journalists and activists protest against the restriction of press freedom and to demand the release of detained journalists, in front of the Press Syndicate in Cairo, Egypt, April 26, 2016. (c) Reuters
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