Biden administration approves arms sale to Egypt despite human rights concerns
The State Department mentioned in a information launch that the proposed sale of the missiles and associated gear “will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally country that continues to be an important strategic partner in the Middle East.”
“The proposed sale will support the Egyptian Navy’s Fast Missile Craft ships and provide significantly enhanced area defense capabilities over Egypt’s coastal areas and approaches to the Suez Canal,” the discharge mentioned.
The proposed sale comes amid continued concerns about Egypt’s human rights report, notably after Egyptian authorities raided the properties of family members of Egyptian American activist Mohamed Soltan. According to Soltan’s nonprofit group the Freedom Initiative, two of his cousins have been arbitrarily detained.
“Mohamed Soltan is calling attention to the impunity and disregard for human rights under the current Egyptian regime. Now the Egyptian regime is arresting his relatives to try to intimidate him into silence,” his lawyer Eric Lewis mentioned.
The State Department was trying into reviews of the detentions on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price mentioned at a press briefing.
“We have and we continue to engage the Egyptian government on human rights concerns and we take seriously all allegations of arbitrary arrest or detention,” Price mentioned. “We will bring our values with us into every relationship that we have across the globe. That includes with our close security partners. That includes with Egypt.”
The Biden administration has burdened the significance of restoring an emphasis on human rights to international coverage. However, the federal government of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has been accused of great human rights abuses.
