ICC Note

The United Nations’ Human Rights Commission criticized Egypt’s president, al-Sisi, for promoting extremism via his curbing of human rights groups and activists. By cracking down on groups and individuals promoting human rights, al-Sisi allows religious extremism to grow. Such extremism has manifested itself in increasing numbers of attacks, especially against Coptic Christians. Early last month, 45 Christians were killed in two church bombings.   

2017-05-04 Egypt (North Africa Post) – The Head of UN Human Right Commission has lambasted President al-Sisi’s strategy against terrorism as he argued that crackdown on human rights groups and activists fuels the surge in radicalization.

Zei Ra’ad al-Hussein speaking in Geneva Monday noted that even though Egypt deserves to stamp out terrorism, the limitation on human rights rolls out a red carpet for extremism.   

“…a state of emergency, the massive numbers of detentions, reports of torture, and continued arbitrary arrests – all of this we believe facilitates radicalization in prisons,” Zeid said.

“…And abetted by the crackdown on civil society through travel bans, freezing orders, anti-protest laws, this in our opinion, is not the way to fight terror.”

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