UN Seriously Concerned over Egypt's Crackdown on Dissent
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed unease about the impact of Egypt’s new law which restricts assemblies following a crackdown and the arrest of dozens of activists angry at the new measure.
The UN Secretary-General is “seriously concerned by the detentions and violent dispersal of protesters” by security forces that have occurred since the adoption Sunday of legislation that grants the Interior Ministry the right to ban any kind of protests of over ten people taking place without police approval.
“As Egyptian authorities considered legislation to regulate protests, the Secretary-General had encouraged them to make sure that any laws passed are in full conformity with international human rights standards,” a UN spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday, RT reported.
“He reiterates the concerns expressed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that the new law that was passed could lead to serious breaches of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.”
Meanwhile on Wednesday Egyptian authorities handed out heavy prison sentences to a group of 21 young female supporters of former president Mohamed Mursi and ordered the detention of two dozen secular activists for participating in Tuesday’s demonstrations.
Hundreds of secular youth activists followed up Wednesday with another protest in downtown Cairo.
"Those thinking the authoritarian pharaonic style works will find it doesn't anymore," protester Laila Soueif told AP. "There will be a third wave of the revolution much more violent than before. We are witnessing a turning point."
Also on Wednesday clashes near a court complex in Alexandria broke out between police and activists protesting the new law and police brutality, state news agency MENA reported. Police fired teargas at stone-throwing protesters and attempted arrests at the scene.
