U.S. Criticizes Egypt’s Handling of Upcoming Elections, Arresting Opponents

The United States criticized the Egyptian government handling of the upcoming local elections and arresting political opponents. The U.S. called on the Egyptian government to allow its citizens the right to freely elect their representatives and ease resrictions on candidates to run for elections.

Dana Perino, the White House Press Secretary, read the following statement on Wednesday at press conference

“we are concerned by a continuing campaign of arrests in Egypt of individuals who are opponents of the current governing party and are involved in the upcoming local elections. The people of Egypt should be permitted to choose freely among competing candidates. We call on the government of Egypt to cease any actions that would compromise the ability of the Egyptian people to fully exercise their internationally recognized human rights and to participate in a free and fair election” 

More than 800 members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been arrested so far, many of them are candidates running for the upcoming local elections on April 8. The Egyptian government has been launching a wide campaign across the country arresting members and sympathizers of the MB, largest political opposition, in order to deprive the group of any serious chances of winning seats in the critical municipal elections.