The London-based group says mass arrests have
replaced mass protests in its report released on
the second anniversary of the demonstrations
that led to Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's disposal
replaced mass protests in its report released on
the second anniversary of the demonstrations
that led to Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's disposal
Two years after Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's
ouster, Egyptian authorities have continued their
onslaught on young activists to crush dissent,
in a sign that the country has regressed into
"all-out repression", Amnesty International
said on Tuesday, in a report Egypt's government
has qualified as "false allegations" and "lies".
ouster, Egyptian authorities have continued their
onslaught on young activists to crush dissent,
in a sign that the country has regressed into
"all-out repression", Amnesty International
said on Tuesday, in a report Egypt's government
has qualified as "false allegations" and "lies".
In the report released on Tuesday, the London-based
rights watchdog criticised what it called a
"blatant attempt" by the Egyptian authorities
to "nip in the bud any future threat to their rule".
rights watchdog criticised what it called a
"blatant attempt" by the Egyptian authorities
to "nip in the bud any future threat to their rule".
Amnesty looked at the cases of 14 young people
among thousands it said were arbitrarily arrested,
detained and jailed in Egypt over the past two
years in connection with protests.
among thousands it said were arbitrarily arrested,
detained and jailed in Egypt over the past two
years in connection with protests.
"Mass protests have been replaced by mass arrests,"
the group said on the second anniversary of the 30
June massive protests that toppled Islamist
president Morsi after a sole year of divisive rule.
the group said on the second anniversary of the 30
June massive protests that toppled Islamist
president Morsi after a sole year of divisive rule.
"By relentlessly targeting Egypt’s youth activists,
the authorities are crushing an entire generation’s
hopes for a brighter future,” said Hassiba Hadj
Sahraoui, deputy director of the Middle East and
North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.
the authorities are crushing an entire generation’s
hopes for a brighter future,” said Hassiba Hadj
Sahraoui, deputy director of the Middle East and
North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.
Following the 2011 uprising that toppled long-time
strongman Hosni Mubarak, youths were seen as
the catalyst of change in a country long oppressed
under autocrats.
strongman Hosni Mubarak, youths were seen as
the catalyst of change in a country long oppressed
under autocrats.
"Yet, today, many of these young activists are
languishing behind bars, providing every indication
that Egypt has regressed into a state of all-out
repression," said Sahraoui.
languishing behind bars, providing every indication
that Egypt has regressed into a state of all-out
repression," said Sahraoui.
Amnesty said a crackdown led by President Abdel
Fattah El-Sisi has seen more than 41,000 people
arrested, charged or indicted with a criminal
offence, or sentenced after unfair trials.
Fattah El-Sisi has seen more than 41,000 people
arrested, charged or indicted with a criminal
offence, or sentenced after unfair trials.
“The scale of the crackdown is overwhelming,"
Sahraoui said. "The Egyptian authorities have
shown that they will stop at nothing in their
attempts to crush all challenges to their authority.”
Sahraoui said. "The Egyptian authorities have
shown that they will stop at nothing in their
attempts to crush all challenges to their authority.”
Foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty denied
that Egypt is targeting youth activists, saying in a
statement on Tuesday that Amnesty had
presented "false allegations" and "lies" in
its report.
that Egypt is targeting youth activists, saying in a
statement on Tuesday that Amnesty had
presented "false allegations" and "lies" in
its report.
Egyptian officials accuse rights organisations of
serving foreign agendas that aim to undermine the
country's security and stability, a view the
spokesman reaffirmed on Tuesday.
serving foreign agendas that aim to undermine the
country's security and stability, a view the
spokesman reaffirmed on Tuesday.
The rights group said that the clampdown initially
began with the arrests of Morsi and his supporters,
but has rapidly expanded to include the country's
entire political spectrum.
began with the arrests of Morsi and his supporters,
but has rapidly expanded to include the country's
entire political spectrum.
It said a new round of arrests in mid-2015 saw at
least 160 people detained "in conditions amounting
to enforced disappearance".
least 160 people detained "in conditions amounting
to enforced disappearance".
Amnesty claimed that not a single member of the
security forces has faced criminal charges over the
deaths of hundreds of Morsi supporters at Cairo
protest camps on 14 August 2013.
security forces has faced criminal charges over the
deaths of hundreds of Morsi supporters at Cairo
protest camps on 14 August 2013.
Foreign ministry spokesman Abdelatty said that the
organisation "lacks credibility" by addressing
developments in Egypt from "a biased, subjective
perspective that raises questions".
organisation "lacks credibility" by addressing
developments in Egypt from "a biased, subjective
perspective that raises questions".
He slammed what he called Amnesty's "politicised
policy" of relying on "unknown and undocumented
sources" for its information, while ignoring official
censuses and reports.
policy" of relying on "unknown and undocumented
sources" for its information, while ignoring official
censuses and reports.
Amnesty urged Egypt's western and European allies
not to "sacrifice" human rights in their talks with the
authorities, saying there had been "no indication
that stopping gross human rights violations in
Egypt was on the agenda" during previous
meetings.
not to "sacrifice" human rights in their talks with the
authorities, saying there had been "no indication
that stopping gross human rights violations in
Egypt was on the agenda" during previous
meetings.
"The gross hypocrisy of Egypt's partners has been
laid bare in a race for lucrative business deals,
political influence and intelligence, as well as new
sales and transfers of policing equipment that
could facilitate human rights violations," Hadj
Sahraoui said.
laid bare in a race for lucrative business deals,
political influence and intelligence, as well as new
sales and transfers of policing equipment that
could facilitate human rights violations," Hadj
Sahraoui said.
On Monday, the group condemned as "despicable,
cowardly and cold-blooded" the killing of late
prosecutor-general Hisham Barakat, whose convoy
was struck by a car bomb in Cairo earlier on the
same day.
cowardly and cold-blooded" the killing of late
prosecutor-general Hisham Barakat, whose convoy
was struck by a car bomb in Cairo earlier on the
same day.
"If the rule of law is to prevail in Egypt, judges and
prosecutors must be free to do their job without the
threat of violence," Amnesty said, urging authorities
not to respond with further repression.
prosecutors must be free to do their job without the
threat of violence," Amnesty said, urging authorities
not to respond with further repression.
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