GENEVA
By Betul Yuruk
Human Rights Watch has called on the UN to condemn "the most dramatic reversal" of human rights in Egypt under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, ahead of a UN Human Rights Council panel's review on Wednesday of Egypt's human rights.
The call on Tuesday came after the Egyptian government set a deadline for non-governmental organizations to register under a restrictive 2002 law, or face criminal charges.
President Sisi amended a decree in September allowing courts to order death sentences or a $70,000 fine for Egyptian rights groups receiving foreign funding with the intent to "harm the national interest."
"The US and other allies should in particular condemn imminent threats to shut down the country’s most prominent non-governmental organizations," said Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a statement.
Prosecution threat
“Washington, London, Paris, and other capitals have failed to confront Egypt’s dramatic reversal of human rights,” said Philippe Dam, acting Geneva Office Director at HRW.
“They should make clear that silencing independent groups will hurt Egypt’s relations with its allies," he said.
A number of high-profile Egyptian human rights defenders have left the country under threat of criminal prosecution, according to HRW.
Some have received arrest warrants while some other activists were threatened with death, it added.
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