Egypt

EGYPT: GOVERNMENT MOVES AGAINST NGO’S, CRIES OF VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ENSUES……

Could you ever imagine trying to govern a country with the political makeup of Egypt? Personally, I can’t imagine a better political atmosphere if the Muslim Brotherhood was still in power.

Egypt cracks down on human rights groups

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

In a move human rights analysts say is yet another step towards repression by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the Egyptian parliament has passed a law that allows the government to regulate non-governmental organizations within the country.

The bill, which many human rights activists say is an infringement on both their basic rights and the rights of the Egyptian people, would restrict NGOs from operating without governmental consent and will carry high fines and heavy jail sentences for those that don’t comply.

“The passing of this NGO law will basically lead to the eradication of independent civil society in Egypt,” Mohamed Ahmed, a researcher on Egypt from Amnesty International, told The Media Line. Affecting some 40,000 different NGOs, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity, this new law will replace the older one that was adopted some 14 years ago requiring organizations to register with the government.

Now, NGOs must apply for a permit and pay a fee of $20,000 simply in order to operate within Egypt. Those same NGOs, like Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International, must also obtain permission before conducting any type of fieldwork, meaning the government will always know what they are doing.

More here.

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