Tag: mubarak
European Parliament bashes Mubarak’s rights record
From Al-Jazeera:
European Union politicians have adopted a resolution criticizing Egypt’s human rights record, as Cairo threatened to sever ties with the assembly and summoned EU ambassadors to complain.
In the vote, 52 of the 59 deputies present at the European parliament on Thursday voted in favor of the text, while the other seven abstained.
Daniel Cohn-Bendit, the assembly Green leader, said “the European parliament is sovereign and decides what it wants to decide”.
“If we have to criticize the rights situation in Egypt or Guantanamo or anywhere else, we’re going to do it. I couldn’t care less what they think in the Egyptian capital.”
The resolution criticizes Egypt over the status of religious minorities, alleged torture practices and the decades-long state of emergency.
It also calls for the immediate release of jailed dissident Ayman Nur, who mounted an unprecedented campaign against Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s president, in the 2005 presidential elections.
He was jailed for five years for fraud in a conviction widely seen as politically motivated.
In Cairo, the foreign ministry summoned EU ambassadors “to inform them of Egypt’s complete rejection of a draft resolution over human rights in Egypt”, a spokesman said.
Bush showers Mubarak with praise, avoids record on dissent
From the New York Times:
President Bush lavished praise on President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt on Wednesday, emphasizing the country’s role in regional security and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process while publicly avoiding mention of the government’s actions in jailing or exiling opposition leaders and its severe restrictions on opposition political activities.
Ending an eight-day trip through the Middle East in which he highlighted democratic change as the foundation for peace and security throughout the region, Mr. Bush strikingly avoided direct criticism of Mr. Mubarak, an autocratic leader in power since late 1981. In the past, Mr. Bush criticized Egypt for arresting political dissidents.
“I appreciate very much the long and proud tradition that you’ve had for a vibrant civil society,” said Mr. Bush, whose appearance with Mr. Mubarak was unannounced and, according to the White House, had been uncertain until the last minute.
Mr. Bush’s remarks reflected some of the contradictions evident in the issues he addressed on his trip.