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U.S. to withhold $130 mln military aid to Egypt over human rights -official

15 September 2022 04:12 (UTC +04:00)

The Biden administration has decided to withhold $130 million of foreign military aid to Egypt over its failure to fulfill human rights conditions, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, but allowed some funds to go through due to its determination that Cairo has made progress on political detentions, APA reports citing Reuters.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has determined that Cairo, by releasing hundreds of jailed individuals, had made some progress on political detentions and due process, the officials said. Rights groups have pushed for withholding all of a $300 million portion of aid to Egypt placed under conditions by the U.S. Congress.

The rights groups cited widespread human rights abuses under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government including torture and enforced disappearances.

The aid that Blinken has decided to withhold accounts for 10 percent of the $1.3 billion allocated for Egypt annually. An official said State Department lawyers determined that 10% was the maximum that could be withheld this year.

Washington is allowing $75 million to be released to Egypt, citing progress related to political detentions and due progress, including the release of about 500 political detainees this year.