Politics

US Senator blocks $75m aid to Egypt over human rights concerns

Published

2 years ago

October 17, 2022

A United States Senator, Patrick Leahy, has blocked a $75 million aid to Egypt over the North African country’s poor human rights record and its failure to make progress on reforms, particularly the continued detention of over 60,000 political prisoners.

Egypt was due to benefit from an annual military aid of $1.3 billion from America but the aid has come under heavy scrutiny in the last few years as President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has consolidated control over the country and continued to squeeze the space for free speech, according to Leahy while making a push for the blockage of the funds.

Some of the money was subject to a waiver if conditions for reform aren’t met, including freeing political prisoners.

In September, the Biden administration withheld $130 million of the amount over human rights concerns but said it would allow $75 million to be paid because Egypt had released 500 political prisoners.

But Leahy, who is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and has jurisdiction over spending legislation and financial assistance, has rejected the assessment justifying the aid.

“We should take this law very seriously, because the situation facing political prisoners in Egypt is deplorable,” he said.

Egypt has had a poor human rights record especially since Al-Sisi came into power with many opposition figures arbitrarily arrested and clamped into detention.

And despite making some “surface reforms” and releasing hundred political prisoners, thousands still remain behind bars, including more than 80 lawyers.

Among those still incarcerated are former presidential candidate, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, who was arrested in 2018 after criticising the government and calling for a boycott of the presidential elections.

Fotouh who is in his 70s, is still in prison and is not allowed to access the prison library and has not been given a TV, books, or a magazine, according to secret security reports.

Related Topics:Aid Detention Egypt Featured Human Rights United States

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Politics

Mozambique’s top court affirms governing party’s victory in recent election

Published

1 month ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The highest court in Mozambique affirmed Monday that the incumbent Frelimo party won the October election, sparking widespread demonstrations from opposition parties who claim the vote was manipulated.

Fears of fresh bloodshed have been raised in the nation already shaken by weeks of fatal protests after Mozambique’s top electoral court mostly confirmed the results of the country’s contentious October elections, reinforcing the Frelimo party’s decades-long hold on power.

The final decision on the election process rests with the Constitutional Council. Mozambique, a nation of over 35 million people in Southern Africa that Frelimo has ruled since 1975, is expected to see more protests in response to its judgement.

Mozambique operates a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic in a multi-party system. The president of Mozambique serves as both the head of state and the head of government.

The government exercises executive power. The administration and the Assembly of the Republic have the authority to enact laws.

Politics

Alliance of Sahel States opposes ECOWAS disengagement schedule

Published

1 month ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) withdrawal timeline has been rejected by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which is made up of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

The AES claims that the ECOWAS is attempting to destabilise their newly formed organisation.

During a meeting last week in Abuja, Nigeria, the regional organisation announced a six-month withdrawal period to give the three nations time to change their minds after their official departure date at the end of January 2025.

However, this decision is “nothing more than yet another attempt by the French and its auxiliaries to continue planning and carrying out destabilising actions against the AES,” according to the heads of state of the AES.

“This unilateral decision is not binding on the ESA countries,” the statement continues. Before the conference, they stated that their choice to leave the organisation was “irreversible.”

According to the president of the Ecowas Commission, this will be a “transition period” that ends on “July 29, 2025” to “keep the doors of Ecowas open.”

The three nations accused the bloc of neglecting to assist them in resolving their domestic security challenges and of imposing “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions related to the coup.

The three nations that were involved in the coup have mostly rejected ECOWAS’ attempts to undo their withdrawal. They are creating their alliance and have begun thinking about how to issue travel passports independently of ECOWAS.

It is anticipated that they will finish giving their one-year notice of departure in January.

Visa-free travel to other ECOWAS members is a significant perk of membership, and it is unclear how this would alter after the three nations exit the group.