Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a meeting with Senate members. Photo: Egyptian Foreign Ministry
Speaking during a meeting of the Senate’s Human Rights and Social Solidarity Committee, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s categorical rejection of the politicisation of human rights or their use as a tool to impose specific political agendas.
“This is completely unacceptable, and we confront it within the United Nations Human Rights Council,” he said, warning against what he described as selective approaches and pressure tactics employed through the human rights file.
Egypt’s top diplomat said that some European states had long sought to lecture Egypt on human rights, despite their own practices contradicting their stated principles. He cited cases in which Egyptian, Arab, and Muslim students were threatened with deportation or the withdrawal of residency permits for participating in peaceful demonstrations.
“Those who constantly lectured us about freedom of expression and assembly threatened young students simply for saying ‘no’ in peaceful protests,” Abdelatty said, adding that he was aware of similar cases in several countries.
In a related context, Abdelatty said Egypt has made progress in addressing what he termed “individual cases,” noting that the Presidential Pardon Committee has worked to secure the release of several such cases and facilitate their reintegration into society.
He also referred to the case of activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah, who was released under a presidential pardon, adding that his name had recently been removed from travel ban lists.
Several European countries have faced sustained criticism over restrictions imposed on pro-Palestinian demonstrations since the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza, with rights groups and UN experts raising concerns over freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
In Germany, authorities in Berlin and other cities repeatedly banned or dispersed pro-Palestinian protests, citing public order and antisemitism concerns.
Police detained demonstrators and imposed fines, while universities and public institutions faced scrutiny for suspending events and disciplining students and staff over pro-Palestinian speech.
German officials also warned that non-citizens could face consequences for their residency if found to be involved in what authorities deemed unlawful demonstrations.
In France, the government initially imposed a nationwide ban on pro-Palestinian protests following the outbreak of the Gaza war, arguing that demonstrations posed a risk to public order.
Although courts later overturned some bans, police continued to restrict or disperse rallies in Paris and other cities, with organisers and participants detained or fined in several instances.
In the United Kingdom, large-scale pro-Palestinian demonstrations were generally allowed, but organizers faced heightened policing, route restrictions, and political pressure.
Senior officials publicly criticised protest organizers, while police arrested demonstrators under public order and hate speech laws.
Universities also reported tensions over Palestinian student activism, with some students facing disciplinary investigations.
The UK government also proscribed the pro-Palestinian group in July, days after activists, protesting the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, broke into an air force base in southern England.
In the Netherlands, authorities in The Hague and Amsterdam dispersed demonstrations and detained protesters during rallies near government buildings and diplomatic missions.
Pro-Palestinian campus protests also prompted police intervention and disciplinary action at several universities.
UN special rapporteurs on freedom of assembly and expression have warned that blanket bans, disproportionate policing, and punitive measures against peaceful protesters risk violating international human rights law.
Rights organizations have said the measures reflect a broader pattern of restrictive responses across Europe, particularly affecting Arab, Muslim, and foreign students.
The issue has fuelled debate over perceived double standards, as governments that traditionally champion civil liberties defend restrictions by citing security concerns, while critics argue that peaceful opposition to Israel’s military campaign is being unduly curtailed.
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