The recent suppression targeted independent outlets, resulting in the judicial closure of the news website Madr Masa and the arrest of multiple fact-checkers on charges of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood. Out of $1.73 billion in annual military assistance provided by Washington, up to $320 million is typically tied to human rights improvements unless bypassed by the executive branch. Secretary of State Marco Rubio waived these prerequisites in September, citing Cairo's crucial role in talks following Operation Epic Fury.
Key points
Senator Chris Murphy argued that waiving human rights conditions directly emboldened Egyp…: Senator Chris Murphy argued that waiving human rights conditions directly emboldened Egypt to execute severe media restrictions.
The State Department prioritized regional security partnerships over press freedom benchm…: The State Department prioritized regional security partnerships over press freedom benchmarks amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Both the current administration and the previous Biden administration bypassed human righ…: Both the current administration and the previous Biden administration bypassed human rights conditions to maintain strategic diplomatic cooperation with Cairo.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
- Published
A top Democratic senator has blamed a crackdown on independent journalism in Egypt on a decision by the Trump administration to waive human rights conditions on US military funding to the country.
Chris Murphy, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accused the US government of "abandoning" the Egyptian people after it lifted restrictions relating to more than $300m of defence assistance.
Over the last month a series of arrests has taken place of journalists at two of the few remaining independent news outlets in Egypt, where newspapers and TV stations are closely controlled by the authorities.
The US State Department told the BBC it waived conditions on a portion of military aid to Egypt in September due to the country's "importance to US national security interests".
Murphy, speaking at the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington this week, said he was in no doubt the two were linked.
"The minute that money was released, the crackdown began in an absolutely devastating way," he said.
On Tuesday a court in Cairo ordered the closure of the news…
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