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Egypt ‘national dialogue’ kicks off with wave of arrests

By AFP

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Posted on June 9, 2023 11:38

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi addresses the representatives of syndicates, political forces, and NGOs, via video conference during the inaugural meeting of the National Dialogue in Cairo on May 3, 2023. – After months of dragging its feet, Egypt finally launched its ‘national dialogue’, unleashing in tandem a wave of repression against dissidents, football fans and supporters of a lone opposition presidential candidate, rights defenders say.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi addresses the representatives of syndicates, political forces, and NGOs, via video conference during the inaugural meeting of the National Dialogue in Cairo on May 3, 2023. – After months of dragging its feet, Egypt finally launched its ‘national dialogue’, unleashing in tandem a wave of repression against dissidents, football fans and supporters of a lone opposition presidential candidate, rights defenders say. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

One month into a much-touted programme to heal the country’s deep political rifts, Egyptian authorities have arrested dozens of dissidents, opposition supporters and football fans in a wave of repression.

Cairo inaugurated its long-delayed “national dialogue” on May 3, promising to give a platform to opposition voices that have been largely silenced since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took office in 2014.

Critics have denounced it as a public relations stunt designed to burnish a dismal human rights record.

The launch coincided with World Press Freedom Day and that same morning authorities arrested journalist Hassan el-Kabbany.

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He was released later the same day, with dialogue coordinator Diaa Rashwan saying the detention was an unfortunate case of “mistaken identity”.

The public should “distinguish between isolated cases and broader phenomena” such as the opening of space for free expression, Rashwan said.

But the same week, police arrested 16 relatives and supporters of Ahmed al-Tantawi, after the former opposition lawmaker announced he would run in next year’s presidential

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