Egypt opposition urges EU heads to boycott Sharm summit

CAIRO

Egyptian opposition figures have urged European leaders to boycott an Arab-European summit -- slated for Sunday in Sharm el-Sheikh -- to protest this week’s execution of nine young convicts by the Egyptian authorities.

Opposition figures made the appeal in a Friday letter to the European Parliament, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, and a number of other European leaders.

“Your attendance at this summit will only give [Egyptian President Abdel Fattah] al-Sisi more legitimacy and encourage him to continue his policies,” the letter reads.

Letter signatories also warn that the al-Sisi regime will maintain its frequent resort to capital punishment in the absence of any punitive measures.

The document is signed by Amr Darraj, a former minister of planning and international cooperation; Ayman Nour, a rights advocate and former presidential candidate; Mohamed Mahsoub, a former minister of parliamentary affairs; and prominent activist Mohamed Sultan.

On Wednesday, the Egyptian authorities executed nine young men convicted earlier for alleged involvement in the 2015 assassination of Egyptian Prosecutor-General Hisham Barakat.

CAIRO

Opposition figures made the appeal in a Friday letter to the European Parliament, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, and a number of other European leaders.

“Your attendance at this summit will only give [Egyptian President Abdel Fattah] al-Sisi more legitimacy and encourage him to continue his policies,” the letter reads.

Letter signatories also warn that the al-Sisi regime will maintain its frequent resort to capital punishment in the absence of any punitive measures.

On Wednesday, the Egyptian authorities executed nine young men convicted earlier for alleged involvement in the 2015 assassination of Egyptian Prosecutor-General Hisham Barakat.