Egypt arrests hundreds ahead of COP27 

Egyptian security forces have arrested hundreds of people in the northeastern Suez Governorate in connection with calls for protests to coincide with the upcoming COP27 climate summit, a local rights group said.

The Egyptian Network for Human Rights (ENHR) said that over the past two weeks the local security authorities have started a fierce campaign of arrests across the Suez Governorate during which more than 200 people were arrested, including former detainees, family members of political activists, as well as others.

Dozens of detainees are being investigated and presented daily before the Suez Prosecution, amid the continued enforced disappearance of many detainees who had recently been arrested, it added.

The COP27 United Nations climate talks will be held in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh from 6-18 November.

The arrests come after some social media users made renewed calls for anti-government protests during the global event.

On Monday, Reuters reported that the Egyptian security forces have arrested nearly 70 people in connection with the calls for protests. They also briefly detained an Indian activist after he set off on a protest march from Cairo.

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