Democratic US Senator Ben Cardin made this threat in a press release, calling it imperative for the Egyptian government, like all governments, to be held accountable for the human rights abuses they commit.
The new chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee announced Saturday that he will block military aid and arms sales to Egypt if concrete steps are not taken to improve the country’s human rights situation.
Democratic US Senator Ben Cardin made this threat in a press release, explaining that he felt it was “imperative that we continue to ensure that the government of Egypt, like all governments, is held accountable for the human rights abuses” it commits.
The announcement came a day after Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House International Affairs Committee, said he had asked the State Department to freeze some military aid to Egypt, but contingent on progress on human rights.
The escalation of pressure follows the September 22 indictment of former Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Democratic politician Bob Menendez, a case linked in part to allegations that he took bribes to use his influence to help the government of Egypt.
Mr Menendez denies wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty.
Egypt’s embassy in the US capital did not immediately respond when asked by the Reuters news agency to comment on Mr Cardin’s position.
Mr. Cardin, who replaced Mr. Menendez as chairman of that Senate committee, noted that Egypt must demonstrate that it is making progress in freeing political prisoners and “give space” to human rights defenders in society citizens, the opposition and the independent media.
“I intend to fully exercise the committee’s oversight responsibilities and powers to block foreign military aid funds as well as arms sales to the government of Egypt unless it takes tangible, substantial, and lasting steps to improve human rights conditions in this country,” he insisted.
Washington has provided Cairo with large amounts of military and other aid since the most populous Arab country signed a peace accord with neighboring Israel in 1979.
Much of this military aid has been withheld in recent years due to concerns about human rights abuses by the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
But President Joe Biden’s administration announced in September that it had decided to waive human rights restrictions on the $235 million in aid, citing US national security benefits. It is now withholding $85 million in aid, a small fraction of the total aid it gives to Egypt, which reaches $1.3 billion a year.
Source :Skai
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