Neil Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Carmichael on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has (a) received and (b) made to the Egyptian government on investigations in Egypt into non-governmental organisations and their funding which form part of Case No. 173 (2011).

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We have received representations from both Parliamentarians and non-governmental organisations in relation to this case.

We are deeply concerned by growing restrictions on civil society in Egypt, including asset freezes and travel bans against human rights defenders and NGOs. I have frequently raised this with the Egyptian Ambassador and issued a statement on 22 March. Officials regularly raise our concerns with representatives of the Egyptian Government in both Cairo and London, most recently in May.