On Wednesday, the French Foreign Ministry voiced its worry over Egyptian authorities’ arrest of Mohamed Bashir, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), prompting a response from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry. In its statement, the French Foreign Ministry expressed “deep concern” over the arrest, adding that the EIPR is committed to promoting human rights in Egypt. The ministry reiterated its commitment to protecting human rights defenders all over the world, stating that it will continue to have frank and firm dialogue with Egyptian authorities regarding human rights. According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry’s statement, the EIPR is registered as a company and practices activities in violation of the provisions of Egyptian Law No. The arrests come after Egyptian authorities investigated a meeting held between foreign diplomats and EIPR, in which they reportedly discussed the human rights situation in Egypt.

Source: Egypt Independent November 19, 2020 12:22 UTC