Pompeo raised his concerns to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about Kassem’s “pointless and tragic death” on the sidelines of an international peace summit in Berlin that aims to end Libya’s civil war. The death of the auto parts dealer from Long Island, New York prompted an outcry from human rights groups, as well as accusations of medical negligence in Egypt’s prisons. ADThe case also touched a nerve in Washington, which has cultivated close security and diplomatic ties with Egypt despite growing unease over its human rights violations under general-turned-president el-Sissi. He was later sentenced to 15 years under a contentious anti-protest law that the government often uses to silence dissent. El-Sissi came to power in the summer of 2013 and has overseen a sweeping crackdown on dissent, jailing thousands.

Source: Washington Post January 19, 2020 14:26 UTC