Press release

FCO Minister responds to sentencing of Human Rights activists in Egypt

Foreign Office Minister Mark Simmonds expresses concern on the sentencing of three human rights activists in Egypt.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Foreign Office Minister Mark Simmonds said:

I was deeply concerned to hear about the sentencing to three years in prison of the democracy and human rights activists Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Douma and Mohammed Adel. This represents a serious setback to attempts to return Egypt to the democratic path and undermines the values expressed by Egyptians during the Revolution of January 2011. The UK believes the freedom to protest peacefully is vital in any democracy and calls on Egypt’s interim leaders to ensure that they uphold all Egypt’s international human rights obligations.

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Published 22 December 2013