Egyptian authorities stormed the offices of three American democracy-building organizations and at least three other groups Thursday in what human rights activists called an unprecedented move against civic associations by the country’s military rulers and the caretaker government. Click below to find out more.
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Security forces and public prosecutors raided the Cairo offices of the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute and Freedom House — all based in Washington. They also raided Germany’s Konrad Adenauer foundation and at least two Egyptian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), according to the state news agency MENA.
At least 17 NGO offices were raided in all, the agency said. Some of the raids were carried out against different offices of the same organization.
The raids were conducted on the orders of the Justice Ministry in a crackdown on “illegal foreign funding†and other unspecified “crimes,†MENA reported.
The judges investigating the cases said in a statement that the raids were based on evidence they found during their inquiries, and they suggested that the groups broke Egyptian laws or were operating illegally, according to MENA. The forces that stormed the offices in Cairo and other parts of the country were ordered to take documents and “devices†to help the investigation, the statement said.
Human rights groups called the move unparalleled and said that the aim was clear: to stop criticism of human rights violations committed by the military.
“This is a new attack on freedoms in Egypt, and it targets the mouth trying to reveal the military council’s violations,†said Helmy el-Rawy, executive director of the Egyptian Budgetary and Human Rights Observatory.
He said four vehicles of police and military commandos rolled up to the office of his organization, confiscated all documents and computers and arrested an economic researcher, Ahmed Ali.
The caretaker government and the military rulers have been critical of American funding of civic organizations, insisting that the money should go through government channels. Authorities in recent weeks have accused Egyptian nongovernmental organizations that take foreign money of using the cash to cause unrest.
The ruling military council is facing its biggest challenge since it assumed power on Feb. 11. Human rights groups accuse the generals of widespread abuses, and political activists charge they have botched the country’s transition to democracy.
