(AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI)
The United States Department of State called on the Egyptian government to protect peaceful protests on Thursday, adding that the violent dispersal of protesters would factor into any decision to suspend future assistance to Egypt.
In the department’s daily press briefing, State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said that the actions taken by the Egyptian interim government – such as using water cannons and tear gas – “do not match the government’s stated commitment to protecting the Egyptian people’s freedoms and universal human rights”.
On 9 October the United States announced that it would halt the delivery of large-scale military systems and cash assistance to Egypt’s government pending “credible progress toward an inclusive, democratically elected civilian government through free and fair elections.”
“How the interim government acts, how it moves forward with the process, how it treats nonviolent protestors… all of that will play into the decision [to suspend future assistance] as it did in the decision to suspend some aid,” Harf said.
On 10 October the cabinet approved the Protest Law, which details several conditions to organise meetings, non-political parades and political protests.
Harf described the law as “restrictive and short of meeting international standards”.
“We certainly share the concerns with civil society representatives inside Egypt and many in the international community,” Harf added.
Several political groups criticised the law, which stipulated that organisers of a protest should request permission from the police station responsible for the intended site of protest 24 hours in advance. Such permission should include the location and the path of the protest, time, the issue which the protest is concerned with, its demands and the names of its organisers.
