Sisi: Claims of rights violations in Egypt are ‘lies’

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi yesterday claimed that all human rights violations in the country highlighted by national and international rights groups are “lies”, Anadolu reported.

Al-Sisi’s remarks came during a speech at the fourth World Youth Forum held in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El Sheikh, where he said: “We completely reject these claims,” in regard to reports of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, abuse and torture of prisoners and violations of freedoms.

“This is a form of intentional or unintentional abuse of the Egyptian state.”

Egypt, he continued, maintains human rights in light of the religions and ideologies that it believes in and without pressure from anyone. It respects human rights, mainly freedom of expression, and rejects any national and international criticism in this regard, he added.

In Egypt, there are some 60,000 political prisoners who are systematically tortured, denied medical care whilst the use of the death penalty has skyrocketed.

READ: Leading rights group suspends activity in Egypt citing complete absence of the rule of law