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Egyptians Protest Against Sisi’s Rule

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  • Protests against President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have broken out across the country for the second weekend in a row.
  • Since protests began last weekend, close to 2,000 arrests have been made.
  • Protests were inspired by an Egyptian businessman and former military contractor who has accused el-Sisi and his military of corruption in viral social media posts and has called for action.
  • Security measures have been increased, however, President el-Sisi told reporters there is “no reasons for concern.”

Protests Break Out

Protests against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have broken out for the second weekend in a row in major cities across the country.

Protestors want el-Sisi, who came to power in a 2013 coup, to step down. Close to 2,000 Egyptians across several cities have been arrested as a result of last week’s protests, marking the largest wave of mass arrests since el-Sisi came to power.

Security in the capital city, Cairo, has heightened since last week’s demonstrations. Security officials have blocked roads leading to Tahrir Square, where protests were expected to unfold. Metro stations in the area have also been shut down. Some Egyptians have also reported having blocked or limited access to news sites and social platforms that would contain protest information. Despite these new measures, el Sisi told reporters on Friday that there are “no reasons for concern.” 

Protesters instead headed to the Warraq area after afternoon prayers. Reports say chants like “No matter how, we’ll bring Sisi down” echoed through the crowds. Other cities with protests of their own include Qena, Luxor, and Qaus.

Meanwhile, counter-protests in favor of the president have also broken out in the country.

Why Are People Protesting?

Anti-Sisi protests were inspired by Mohamed Ali, an Egyptian businessman and former military contractor carrying out a self-imposed exile in Spain. On social media, he called for a “people’s revolution” to oust the president. He has been posting videos accusing both the president and his military of corruption.

Ali alleges that the military has improperly used state funds, and claims that the government owes him money. According to BBC, he fled to Spain to avoid possible pushback from Egyptian authorities. 

Responses to Protests

International organizations have taken a stand against the arrests of demonstrators. Human Rights Watch called a release of all citizens who were detained for exercising their right to protest. Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East and North Africa director for the Human Rights Watch said this crackdown shows that the government is afraid of the people’s power. 

“The government’s mass arrests and internet restrictions seem intended to scare Egyptians away from protesting and to leave them in the dark about what’s happening in the country,” she said. “The nationwide crackdown on protests suggests that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is terrified of Egyptians’ criticisms.”

Amnesty International called on world leaders to stop el-Sisi and his government from mistreating demonstrators. 

“The world must not stand silently by as President al-Sisi tramples all over Egyptians’ rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression,” Amnesty International’s North Africa Campaigns Director, Najia Bounaim said.

“These protests came as a shock because the authorities thought they had permanently intimidated protesters through the heavy-handed tactics of the past six years including arbitrary arrests and the use of excessive force, including lethal force,” Bounaim added. “The fact that protesters risked their lives and liberty to protest against President al-Sisi’s rule suggests his ruthless tactics have garnered frustration and anger.”

Egypt’s Attorney General, Hamada El-Sawy, said that investigations were being conducted regarding the arrests. He said over one thousand people were interviewed. 

According to El-Sawy, protesters hit the streets over things like economic frustrations and “deception by pages created on social networking sites.” He also said that those wishing to protest in the future must follow the legal procedure of giving advance warning to authorities.

“The Public Prosecution called on citizens wishing to exercise their right to express their opinion by demonstrating legal procedures by notifying the concerned authorities, determining the number of participants in the demonstrations and their reasons and abiding by their time and spatial limits so as not to cause demonstrations in blocking public roads, disrupting public transport, closing shops or intimidating citizens,” he wrote.

See what others are saying: (Al Jazeera) (BBC) (The Guardian)

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95-Year-Old Woman Dies After Police Tases Her in Nursing Home

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The officer involved was suspended with pay and charged with assault.


A 95-year-old Australian woman whom police tasered in a nursing home last week has reportedly died from her injuries.

Clare Nowland, who had dementia and required a walking frame to stand up and move, was living at the Yallambee Lodge in Cooma in southeastern Australia.

At about 4:15 a.m. on May 17, police and paramedics responded to a report of a woman standing outside her room with a steak knife.

They encountered Nowland, then reportedly tried to negotiate with her for several minutes, but she didn’t drop the knife.

The five-foot-two, 95-pound woman walked toward the two officers “at a slow pace,” police said at a news conference, so one of them tasered her.

She fell to the floor and reportedly suffered a fractured skull and a severe brain bleed, causing her to be hospitalized in critical condition.

Nowland passed away in a hospital surrounded by her family, the New South Wales police confirmed in a statement today.

After a week-long investigation, the police force also said that the senior constable involved would appear in court next week to face charges of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault.

NSW police procedure states that tasers should not be used against elderly or disabled people absent exceptional circumstances.

Following the incident, community members, activists, and disability rights advocates expressed bewilderment and anger at what they called an unnecessary use of force, and some are now questioning why law enforcement took so long to prosecute the officer involved.

See what others are saying: (Reuters) (The New York Times) (CNN)

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U.K. Police Face Backlash After Arresting Anti-Monarchy Protesters

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that some of the arrests “raise questions” and “investigations are ongoing.”


The Public Order Act

A controversial protest crackdown law in the U.K. is facing criticism after dozens of anti-monarchy protesters were arrested during the coronation ceremony in London over the weekend.

The law, dubbed the “Public Order Act” was passed roughly a week ahead of the coronation for King Charles III. It gives police more power to restrict protesters and limits the tactics protesters can use in public spaces. It was condemned by human rights groups upon its passing, and is facing a new round of heat after 52 people were arrested over coronation protests on Saturday.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said protesters were arrested for public order offenses, breach of the peace and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance. The group said it gave advance warning that its “tolerance for any disruption, whether through protest or otherwise, will be low and that we would deal robustly with anyone intent on undermining the celebration.”

It is currently unclear how many of those arrested were detained specifically for violating the Public Order Act, however, some of those arrested believe the new law was used against them.

“Make no mistake. There is no longer a right to peaceful protest in the UK,” Graham Smith, the CEO of anti-monarchy group Republic tweeted after getting arrested. “I have been told many times the monarch is there to defend our freedoms. Now our freedoms are under attack in his name.”

An Attempt to “Diminish” Protests

During a BBC Radio interview, Smith also said he believes the dozens of arrests were premeditated. 

“There was nothing that we did do that could possibly justify even being detained and arrested and held,” Smith claimed. 

“The whole thing was a deliberate attempt to disrupt and diminish our protest.”

Yasmine Ahmed, the U.K. Director of Human Rights Watch, also tweeted that the arrests were “disgraceful.”

“These are scenes you’d expect to see in Russia not the UK,” she wrote. 

When asked about the controversy, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters officers should  do “what they think is best” in an apparent show of support for the Metropolitan Police. 

For his part, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he is looking into the matter.

“Some of the arrests made by police as part of the Coronation event raise questions and whilst investigations are ongoing, I’ve sought urgent clarity from Met leaders on the action taken,” Khan tweeted.

See what others are saying: (The Guardian) (CNN) (The Washington Post)

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Foreign Nationals Make Mad Dash out of Sudan as Conflict Rages

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The conflict’s death toll has surpassed 420, with nearly 4,000 people wounded.


As the 10-day-long power struggle between rival generals tore Sudan apart, foreign governments with citizens in the country scrambled to evacuate them over the weekend.

On Sunday, U.S. special forces landed in the capital Khartoum and carried out nearly 100 American diplomats along with their families and some foreign nationals on helicopters.

An estimated 16,000 Americans, however, remain in the country and U.S. officials said in a statement that a broader evacuation mission would be too dangerous.

Christopher Maier, the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity warfare, said in a statement that the Pentagon may assist U.S. citizens find safe routes out of Sudan.

“[The Defense Department] is at present considering actions that may include use of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to be able to observe routes and detect threats,” he said.

Germany and France also reportedly pulled around 700 people out of the country.

More countries followed with similar efforts, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Canada, China, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Indonesia.

Yesterday, a convoy carrying some 700 United Nations, NGO, and embassy staff drove to Port Sudan, a popular extraction point now that the airport in Khartoum has closed due to fighting.

Reports of gunmen prowling the capital streets and robbing people trying to escape, as well as looters breaking into abandoned homes and shops, have persuaded most residents to stay indoors.

Heavy gunfire, airstrikes, and artillery shelling have terrorized the city despite several proposed ceasefires.

Over the weekend, the reported death toll topped 420, with nearly 4,000 people injured, though both numbers are likely to be undercounted.

See what others are saying: (The Guardian) (The New York Times) (The Washington Post)

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