The decision to give Sissi the award had cast a “dark shadow” over the ball, Hopp said. ADOrganizers confirmed that they would cancel the award ceremony altogether, though the ball itself would go ahead. The ball has said that the decision to give the award to Sissi was a “mistake.” Sissi has carried out sweeping arrests of political opponents, lawyers and activists since he seized power in 2013. The organizers had initially stuck by their decision to award Sissi the prize, traveling to Cairo last weekend to present him with the Medal of St. George. Sissi was not the only controversial pick for an award, as the ball was also criticized for picking entrepreneur Hans-Jürgen Naumann.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 04, 2020 16:28 UTC