CAIRO, Egypt: In a significant move, the United States has decided to withhold $85 million in military aid to Egypt, citing Cairo’s failure to meet US conditions related to human rights and the release of political prisoners.
Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, has not only voiced his concern over Egypt’s human rights record but also urged the Biden administration to withhold an additional $235 million in military aid. This decision highlights the growing scrutiny of Egypt’s human rights practices by the United States.
Senator Murphy emphasized that the initial withholding of $85 million was justified due to the lack of substantial progress in releasing political prisoners. He urged the administration to withhold the full $320 million until Egypt’s human rights and democracy record demonstrates significant improvement.
Of the $85 million being withheld from Egypt, $55 million will be redirected to Taiwan, while the remaining $30 million will go to Lebanon, as outlined in a US State Department letter to congressional committees detailing foreign military financing.
Egypt’s response to these developments remains unclear, as the Egyptian embassy in Washington has not issued a comment at the time of reporting.
Senator Murphy, in a Senate address, pointed out that Egypt has incarcerated more political prisoners than it has released since 2022. While acknowledging the release of over 1,600 political prisoners as positive, he also highlighted that during the same period, Egypt had imprisoned an additional 5,000 individuals, illustrating a concerning trend. He described this as “one step forward, and three steps back,” emphasizing the need for clear and consistent progress.
Human rights organizations have long criticized Egypt for widespread human rights abuses under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s government, including allegations of torture and enforced disappearances. While Egyptian authorities have taken some steps to address these concerns since late 2021, such as launching a human rights strategy and ending a state of emergency, critics argue that these measures are largely cosmetic. High-profile detainees have been pardoned or released, but activists contend that new detentions have outnumbered releases, and restrictions on free speech remain stringent.
For decades, the United States has provided Egypt with approximately $1.3 billion annually in military aid, primarily for the purchase of US weapons systems and services. In recent years, the US Congress has attached human rights conditions to some aid allocated to Egypt.
Seth Binder of the Project on Middle East Democracy rights group emphasized the significance of the announced withholding of military aid. However, he also expressed concern that if the administration withholds less than in previous years, it may signal to President el-Sisi’s government that the US believes Egypt has made improvements in its human rights record, a notion that critics find unfounded.
Under US law, $85 million in military aid is contingent on Egypt making clear and consistent progress in releasing political prisoners, ensuring detainees receive due process of law, and preventing the intimidation and harassment of American citizens. These conditions cannot be waived by the executive branch. An additional $235 million is subject to conditions related to Egypt’s democracy and human rights practices, with the possibility of waiver if deemed in the US national security interest.
