Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday began a three-day state visit to France, with activists warning Paris not to turn a blind eye to Cairo's rights record with a red carpet welcome.

The centrepiece of the visit will be talks with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Monday where the French leader is expected to seek to cement the strong ties between Cairo and Paris.

Sisi arrived at Paris Orly airport, the Egyptian presidency said in its Facebook page. He was due later Sunday to meet French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egyptian-rights-group-head-hopes-release-will-help-other-prisoners-347795">Egyptian rights group head hopes release will help other prisoners</a>

Egypt and France have enjoyed an increasingly close relationship under the secular rule of former army general Sisi, with common interests in the Middle East and a shared suspicion of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

No major deals are expected to be signed during the trip but Egypt is a major weapons client of French companies, in the past buying fighter jets and warships.

The situation in Libya, where efforts are underway to agree a lasting peace after years of conflict, is also expected to feature prominently.

But France's close relationship with Egypt at a time when Cairo stands accused of serial human rights violations has concerned activists, who want Macron to make the issue central to the discussions.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-hope-france-will-get-rid-of-macron-says-turkey-president-erdogan-347552">I hope France will get rid of Macron, says Turkey President Erdogan</a>

A statement by a dozen rights groups ahead of the talks said France had "long indulged President al-Sisi's brutal repression of any form of dissent."

"We are amazed that France is rolling out the red carpet for a dictator when there are more than 60,000 prisoners of conscience today in Egypt," Antoine Madelin, international advocacy director of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), told AFP.

Concern over Sisi's visit to Paris was amplified when three Egyptian activists were arrested last month following a meeting with foreign ambassadors.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-calls-abraham-accords-an-opportunity-for-palestinians-347953" hreflang="en">Israel calls Abraham Accords an 'opportunity' for Palestinians</a>

However, following an international campaign backed by celebrities all three campaigners from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights have been freed.

A French presidential source described this as a positive sign and insisted that rights would be raised at the talks.

The Egyptian presidency in a statement cited Sisi's spokesman as saying "the visit reflects both countries' keenness to strengthen the strategic relations between them in the coming period."

The spokesman said Sisi would present "Egypt's vision" regarding crises in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East and the talks would also look at strengthening investment.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday began a three-day state visit to France, with activists warning Paris not to turn a blind eye to Cairo's rights record with a red carpet welcome.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday began a three-day state visit to France, with activists warning Paris not to turn a blind eye to Cairo's rights record with a red carpet welcome. The centrepiece of the visit will be talks with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Monday where the French leader is expected to seek to cement the strong ties between Cairo and Paris. Sisi arrived at Paris Orly airport, the Egyptian presidency said in its Facebook page. He was due later Sunday to meet French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Also read| Egyptian rights group head hopes release will help other prisoners Egypt and France have enjoyed an increasingly close relationship under the secular rule of former army general Sisi, with common interests in the Middle East and a shared suspicion of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. No major deals are expected to be signed during the trip but Egypt is a major weapons client of French companies, in the past buying fighter jets and warships. The situation in Libya, where efforts are underway to agree a lasting peace after years of conflict, is also expected to feature prominently. But France's close relationship with Egypt at a time when Cairo stands accused of serial human rights violations has concerned activists, who want Macron to make the issue central to the discussions. Also read| I hope France will get rid of Macron, says Turkey President Erdogan A statement by a dozen rights groups ahead of the talks said France had "long indulged President al-Sisi's brutal repression of any form of dissent." "We are amazed that France is rolling out the red carpet for a dictator when there are more than 60,000 prisoners of conscience today in Egypt," Antoine Madelin, international advocacy director of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), told AFP. Concern over Sisi's visit to Paris was amplified when three Egyptian activists were arrested last month following a meeting with foreign ambassadors. Also read| Israel calls Abraham Accords an 'opportunity' for Palestinians However, following an international campaign backed by celebrities all three campaigners from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights have been freed. A French presidential source described this as a positive sign and insisted that rights would be raised at the talks. The Egyptian presidency in a statement cited Sisi's spokesman as saying "the visit reflects both countries' keenness to strengthen the strategic relations between them in the coming period." The spokesman said Sisi would present "Egypt's vision" regarding crises in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East and the talks would also look at strengthening investment.

Egypt's Sisi arrives in France for controversial visit

The head of a leading Egyptian human rights group who was held for two weeks on terrorism charges said on Saturday he hoped that the campaign to secure his release would help others still jailed on similar allegations. 
 
Activists saw the detention last month of Gasser Abdel Razek, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), and two of the group's other staff, as the latest escalation of a broad crackdown on political dissent under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-hope-france-will-get-rid-of-macron-says-turkey-president-erdogan-347552">I hope France will get rid of Macron, says Turkey President Erdogan</a> 
 
Egypt's foreign ministry had said EIPR was operating illegally, an accusation the group denies. There has been no official statement from public prosecutors since Abdel Razek's release, and officials could not be reached for comment. 
 
The arrests, which came after EIPR hosted a briefing on human rights for 13 senior diplomats in Cairo on November&nbsp;3, sparked rare public criticism from Western states and an international campaign on social media. 
 
Abdel Razek said he was unclear why he had been held beyond the officially stated charges of belonging to a terrorist group, spreading false news and misusing social media - accusations made in the past against figures from across the political spectrum. 
 
Abdel Razek said it would be "business as usual" for EIPR.

"We're hitting the third decade of the 21st Century, human rights work will continue in Egypt and elsewhere," he said in an interview at his home in Cairo. 
 
"I`m hoping that our speedy release would have some sort of effect on the hundreds of people that are going through the same situation."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hope-france-gets-rid-of-macron-burden-soon-says-erdogan-347667/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

 
While the total is unclear, rights groups say tens of thousands have been detained in a clampdown on political opposition since Sisi ousted the Muslim Brotherhood from power in 2013. 
 
Sisi has said Egypt holds no political prisoners, that security is paramount and that the government is promoting human rights by working to provide basic needs such as jobs and housing. The president and his backers say the detentions over recent years are necessary to stabilise Egypt. 
 
The three EIPR staff were freed on Thursday. Patrick Zaki, an EIPR researcher who was a graduate student in Italy before his arrest in February, remains in jail. 
 
Abdel Razek said he had been very cold for the first few nights in solitary confinement in Cairo`s Tora prison, but had not suffered any physical mistreatment. 
 
"It's a great feeling to be around my kids, my wife and friends, but it`s very painful to leave the people behind, so let`s hope we can pressure to get them all out."

The head of a leading Egyptian human rights group who was held for two weeks on terrorism charges said on Saturday he hoped that the campaign to secure his release would help others still jailed on similar allegations.

The head of a leading Egyptian human rights group who was held for two weeks on terrorism charges said on Saturday he hoped that the campaign to secure his release would help others still jailed on similar allegations. Activists saw the detention last month of Gasser Abdel Razek, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), and two of the group's other staff, as the latest escalation of a broad crackdown on political dissent under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Also read| I hope France will get rid of Macron, says Turkey President Erdogan Egypt's foreign ministry had said EIPR was operating illegally, an accusation the group denies. There has been no official statement from public prosecutors since Abdel Razek's release, and officials could not be reached for comment. The arrests, which came after EIPR hosted a briefing on human rights for 13 senior diplomats in Cairo on November 3, sparked rare public criticism from Western states and an international campaign on social media. Abdel Razek said he was unclear why he had been held beyond the officially stated charges of belonging to a terrorist group, spreading false news and misusing social media - accusations made in the past against figures from across the political spectrum. Abdel Razek said it would be "business as usual" for EIPR. "We're hitting the third decade of the 21st Century, human rights work will continue in Egypt and elsewhere," he said in an interview at his home in Cairo. "I`m hoping that our speedy release would have some sort of effect on the hundreds of people that are going through the same situation." × While the total is unclear, rights groups say tens of thousands have been detained in a clampdown on political opposition since Sisi ousted the Muslim Brotherhood from power in 2013. Sisi has said Egypt holds no political prisoners, that security is paramount and that the government is promoting human rights by working to provide basic needs such as jobs and housing. The president and his backers say the detentions over recent years are necessary to stabilise Egypt. The three EIPR staff were freed on Thursday. Patrick Zaki, an EIPR researcher who was a graduate student in Italy before his arrest in February, remains in jail. Abdel Razek said he had been very cold for the first few nights in solitary confinement in Cairo`s Tora prison, but had not suffered any physical mistreatment. "It's a great feeling to be around my kids, my wife and friends, but it`s very painful to leave the people behind, so let`s hope we can pressure to get them all out."

Egyptian rights group head hopes release will help other prisoners

egyptian-prisoners

Egyptian Prisoners, News on Egyptian Prisoners, stories on Egyptian Prisoners, articles on Egyptian Prisoners, Egyptian Prisoners stories at Wion, Egyptian Prisoners news, Egyptian Prisoners latest news

egyptian prisoners

Egypt's Sisi arrives in France for controversial visit

Egyptian rights group head hopes release will help other prisoners