Sisi, Macron highlight new human rights angle at Elysee

CAIRO – 25 October 2017: One of the most controversial issues that was anticipated to be tackled by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron during their meeting Tuesday in Paris is the human rights issue.

As anticipated, the discussion was held not just between the two leaders during their meetings, but also in the press conference held after.

Responding to a question about human rights' status in Egypt, Sisi affirmed that no officials in Egypt avoid answering similar questions. “We are very much keen on establishing a modern civil state,” he stated.

Sisi also wondered during his answer, "Where are the rights of the martyrs and their families in Egypt, and the rights of the three million citizens who work in the field of tourism and are affected by terrorism? We cannot limit human rights to political rights only.”

In a strongly worded tone, Sisi commented on the Human Rights Watch allegations presented by the French journalist, saying, "Why don't you ask me about good education, medicine, employment, housing and true awareness that we should instill in the Egyptian mentality? We do not evade the question about human rights, but we have to take into consideration that we are not in Europe; we are in a country with different circumstances," Sisi concluded.

Macron said that everyone can talk about human rights in Paris; however, when you are in a different country you have to be aware of this country’s conditions and the challenges it is facing. Talking about Egypt, the French president explained that there are three dimensions of human rights' framework in Egypt, including combating terrorism, terrorist groups, and violent radicalism. “We shall never forget that framework,” Macron stressed.

Egyptians react positively to Sisi’s speech

Sisi’s response to the human rights question received positive feedback in Egypt, especially from politicians and parliamentarians, as the human rights file has been one of the most frequently discussed topics during Sisi’s official visits.

In statements to Egypt Today, human rights activist Dalia Ziada described Sisi’s response to the French journalist question as “organized and convincing.” “Sisi explained all human rights' conditions and circumstances in Egypt; he also referred to the NGOs that intentionally promote the idea of having severe violations and torture cases in Egypt.”

Member of Parliament (MP) Solaf Darwish considered Sisi’s speech regarding human rights as a “great message” not only to the French people, but also to all foreign governments and NGOs that persistently talk about this issue.

“Sisi’s response was reasonable, especially when he affirmed that Egyptians will not accept any violent or dictatorial practices,” Darwish added in her statements to Egypt Today.

Also, MP Sherif al-Wardani said that Macron’s response reflects his awareness of the political condition not only in Egypt but in the Middle East as a whole.

He added that the governments that talk about human rights should play an actual role in supporting Egypt and confronting terrorism and extremism.

On Monday morning, Sisi arrived in Paris for a three-day visit.

During the past days, Sisi met with several French officials, along with his counterpart Emmanuel Macron.