SASC CHAIRMAN JOHN McCAIN URGES PRESIDENT TRUMP TO KEEP PRESSURE ON EGYPT OVER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a letter urging President Trump to keep the pressure on Egypt for its human rights violations following the administration’s decision to deny Egypt foreign aid and delay military funding. In the letter, Chairman McCain urges President Trump to continue advocating for those Egyptians, Americans, and organizations fighting for democracy and freedom in Egypt. Chairman McCain also released the following statement: “I believe it was the appropriate course of action for the administration to deny Egypt $96 million in aid and delay $195 million in military funding due to concerns over its human rights record. Now, President Trump must continue to advocate for the Egyptian people, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and American citizens who have been unjustly indicted or sentenced to prison without due process. “As Chairman of the International Republican Institute (IRI), I am especially concerned about the members of the NGOs indicted by the Government of Egypt for peacefully working on behalf of democratic reform, including IRI, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Freedom House, the International Center for Journalists, and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Foundation. President Trump must also demand the immediate release of the nearly 20 American citizens wrongly imprisoned in Egypt, including Ahmed Etwiy and Mustafa Kassem, who have been detained on false allegations, jailed for four years without sentencing and are scheduled to stand trial Monday. As the United States continues to work with Egypt to fight terrorism, President Trump must make every effort to convince the Egyptian government to uphold its international commitments on human rights and respect the democratic aspirations of its people.” The letter is below. Dear...