Egypt police arrest nearly 400 amid island protests: Rights group
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Egyptian police fire tear gas towards protesters as they demonstrate on April 25, 2016 in the capital, Cairo, against the handing over of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. ©AFP
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Egyptian police have arrested at least 382 people during recent protests against a controversial government decision to hand over two islands to Saudi Arabia.
The New York-based rights group said Wednesday that Egyptian security forces lawyers and activists as well as six foreign journalists were among those detained in the days leading up to and during April 25 mass protests.
The six foreign journalists, including four from France, one from Denmark, and one from Norway, were later released, it said.
Citing activists of the Front for the Defense of Egyptian Protesters, the HRW said that security forces arrested at least 286 people only on Monday, the day of the mass rallies.
“Egypt’s effective zero-tolerance policy for protests leaves people with no outlet to peacefully express their grievances, and protesting can mean years in prison,” said Nadim Houry, the HRW’s deputy director for Middle East.
Houry further called for the release of “all those held solely for peaceful expression,” saying “the parliament should amend the repressive law on public assembly.”
He slammed authorities in Cairo for attempting to “stifle any public discussions” of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s policies, saying Egypt’s military-backed leader seems to only allow the demonstrations in support of his administration.
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