Criticism mounts of Egypt’s NGO raids
- 12 years ago
A few hundred Egyptians hold a protest against military rule in Cairo's Tahrir Square, a day after prosecutors and police raided the offices of 17 pro-democracy and human rights groups.
Heba Morayef from Human Rights Watch says the raids reflect the narrowing of political space for critical voices in the country.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) RESEARCHER ON THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, HEBA MORAYEF, SAYING:
"The raid yesterday is a very, very serious escalation and an unprecedented move - this didn't even happen under Mubarak. Every now and then there would be a raid on one NGO, but this kind of broad sweep, looking at both international and Egyptian NGOs is an extremely serious move, and of course the decision to close some of them down for the moment, also."
The raids on Thursday afternoon included three prominent U.S.-backed foreign organisations.
This mobile phone footage obtained by al-Jazeera shows the aftermath of the raid on the offices of the National Democratic Institute.
The state news agency said the groups had been searched as part of an investigation into foreign funding.
While some activists claim Egypt's ruling military council is deliberately stoking xenophobia to deflect attention from its own crimes, the crackdown on foreign funding is not without support.
Independent presidential candidate Ahmed Gabr.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY, AHMED GABR, SAYING:
"My personal opinion is that I reject any organisation that takes money from abroad. Any organisation that takes even one pound from abroad, I demand that it be closed. We should not borrow or accept that anyone pays us in order to run our country. We are free in our own country and we will free it with our own hands. Any organisation that takes money from abroad, even one Egyptian pound, I consider it unpatriotic."
A spokeswoman for the State Department said the U.S. is "deeply concerned" at the raids.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN, VICTORIA NULAND, SAYING:
"We call on the Egyptian government to immediately end the harassment of NGOs, NGO staff, return all property, and resolve this issue immediately."
Civil society groups have become increasingly vocal in criticising what they call the army's heavy-handed tactics in dealing with street unrest in Egypt.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.
Heba Morayef from Human Rights Watch says the raids reflect the narrowing of political space for critical voices in the country.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) RESEARCHER ON THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, HEBA MORAYEF, SAYING:
"The raid yesterday is a very, very serious escalation and an unprecedented move - this didn't even happen under Mubarak. Every now and then there would be a raid on one NGO, but this kind of broad sweep, looking at both international and Egyptian NGOs is an extremely serious move, and of course the decision to close some of them down for the moment, also."
The raids on Thursday afternoon included three prominent U.S.-backed foreign organisations.
This mobile phone footage obtained by al-Jazeera shows the aftermath of the raid on the offices of the National Democratic Institute.
The state news agency said the groups had been searched as part of an investigation into foreign funding.
While some activists claim Egypt's ruling military council is deliberately stoking xenophobia to deflect attention from its own crimes, the crackdown on foreign funding is not without support.
Independent presidential candidate Ahmed Gabr.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY, AHMED GABR, SAYING:
"My personal opinion is that I reject any organisation that takes money from abroad. Any organisation that takes even one pound from abroad, I demand that it be closed. We should not borrow or accept that anyone pays us in order to run our country. We are free in our own country and we will free it with our own hands. Any organisation that takes money from abroad, even one Egyptian pound, I consider it unpatriotic."
A spokeswoman for the State Department said the U.S. is "deeply concerned" at the raids.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN, VICTORIA NULAND, SAYING:
"We call on the Egyptian government to immediately end the harassment of NGOs, NGO staff, return all property, and resolve this issue immediately."
Civil society groups have become increasingly vocal in criticising what they call the army's heavy-handed tactics in dealing with street unrest in Egypt.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.