Sir, – The article in your newspaper headlined "Bad for business to back repressive Egyptian regime" and the identical online version headlined "Western governments should demand Egypt stop its 'murderous repression'" are biased and insensitive, as they refer to unsubstantiated accusations and misleading claims against the Egyptian government.
The case of Ibrahim Halawa has been dealt with through consular and formal diplomatic channels in both Cairo and Dublin, as well as the ongoing coordination and mutual current interaction between the Irish Embassy in Cairo and the relevant Egyptian authorities. The Egyptian judiciary has full independence from the Egyptian government in accordance with the fundamental principle of the separation of powers, similar to that of other western governments.
The trial of Ibrahim Halawa is still ongoing, and the findings of the court ruling whether guilty or not guilty must be respected. The accused has the right of appeal according to the judicial system of degrees of litigation.
The Egyptian judiciary has not only got the inalienable right but also has the obligation to act when a person or persons violate the country’s regulations in order to protect the majority against the minority, or anarchy would ensue.
Egypt has experienced terrorist attacks on a massive scale, attacks against the army, the police and its own citizens to such an extent that its very existence is threatened.
Egypt is on the frontline in its fight against terrorism so bloody and barbaric in nature that it is unprecedented. It is a plague spreading from the Middle East to the African continent, east to west, Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States of America; it would seem that no country is “untouchable”.
The impact of terrorism is varied in both its nature and extent. Some countries may perceive that due to either their geographical location or policies that the repercussions of terrorism will not affect them. This short-sighted view of a worldwide, complicated challenge must be addressed. Thus vigilance is needed and a “wake-up call” is required by the international community to combat terrorism, through collaborated efforts and collective responsibility.
The Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi launched a strategic plan on an intellectual sphere, asking Muslim clerics to clarify religious speech and revise its discourse, in an effort to eradicate terrorism and extremism. Extremist groups whatever they are called are like-minded and by their very nature are interconnected ideologically.
The recent “Egyptian Economic and Development Conference” was a resounding success due in part to great international participation but also to the detailed planning, especially when economic projects to boost the Egyptian economy were presented.
The real message is of a promising Egyptian economy, and the collaborative effort of the wider international community to work together for the benefit of all will result in a successful outcome. A golden era looms on the horizon.
Last but not least, human rights in Egypt are presented by certain journalists and by the media in general in an unprofessional way. The reader is forced to look through the flawed lens of a camera, to participate by asking them to look at a snapshot of what the journalist perceives to be a violation of human rights without giving the “full picture”, thus resulting in a totally biased opinion.
I sincerely hope that those who are biased should find enough courage to re-evaluate their positions.
Egypt will always remain a confident nation no matter what such people say, but it is incumbent upon those in the media to report in a fair and unbiased manner so that the reader receives an honest, credible assessment of the situation and in doing so, the reader, not the journalist, arrives at their own conclusion. – Yours, etc,
MOSTAFA YOUSSEF,
Second Secretary,
Egyptian Embassy,
Clyde Road,
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.