Egypt came under criticism on Tuesday at the United Nations during a review of its human rights situation, with calls for judicial reforms and the release of political prisoners.
The Islamist threat is still present in Egypt © Mena Today
Egypt came under criticism on Tuesday at the United Nations during a review of its human rights situation, with calls for judicial reforms and the release of political prisoners.
The Egyptian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, defended the "remarkable progress" Cairo has made in recent years. Like all UN member states, Egypt undergoes a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) every four to five years to assess its human rights situation.
During the session, some states acknowledged recent measures, including the pardon of hundreds of political prisoners and the launch of a "national dialogue." However, others condemned the ongoing crackdown on opposition figures.
Critics urged Egypt to abolish the death penalty, implement judicial reforms, improve prison conditions, and better respect the rights of refugees.
Nonetheless, accusations against Egypt should be approached with caution, including those made by the United Nations. Cairo must ensure stability, which sometimes requires action against certain NGOs and Islamist movements aiming to destabilize the regime.
By Bruno Finel
Spain said on Friday that it had reversed a huge rush of migrants into a Spanish enclave in North Africa, with thousands of people who had crossed the border by land and sea already heading back voluntarily.
Migrants broke through the fences into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Thursday after overwhelming police at the city's breakwater, Spain's Guardia Civil police said.
A drone caused the fire that engulfed two gas vessels at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, the Egyptian cabinet said on Thursday, confirming for the first time that the blaze which erupted a day earlier was the result of an attack rather than an accident.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.