Alarm grows for jailed Iran reporters who exposed Amini case

Concern is growing for two jailed Iranian reporters who helped focus attention on the death of Mahsa Amini but who activists allege are now the targets of a smear campaign portraying them as spies.

Iranian intelligence authorities have accused the pair of being foreign agents

© ATTA KENARE

Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi were detained in the initial phase of protests that erupted after Amini died following her arrest by Iran's morality police. The movement now poses the biggest challenge to the authorities since the 1979 revolution.

Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi were detained in the initial phase of protests that erupted after Mahsa Amini died following her arrest by Iran's morality police© Christina ASSI

Hamedi reported for Iran's Shargh newspaper from the hospital where the young woman languished in a coma for three days before she died. The journalist was arrested on September 20, her family has said.

Mohammadi, a reporter for the Ham Mihan newspaper, went to Amini's hometown of Saqez in northwest Iran's Kurdistan region to report on her funeral, which turned into one of the first protest actions. She was detained on September 29.

Both women remain in custody in Tehran's Evin prison, according to social media posts by their families.

They are among 51 journalists who have been detained in a mass crackdown since the protests erupted, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Just 14 are confirmed to have been released on bail.

- 'Witch hunt' -

The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned" over the situation of the two women.

They are "being detained without access to internationally recognised standards of due process" and "could face years of imprisonment if convicted", it said.

Iranian intelligence authorities last week accused the pair of being foreign agents whose status as journalists was "cover".

A statement claimed the women had undergone foreign training programmes and through their reporting had sought to incite Amini's family and the protests that erupted after her funeral.

"The two were the first sources for fabricating this news for foreign media," the statement said.

The CHRI said the statement was "filled with unsubstantiated claims" including a false allegation that Hamedi had published a photo of Amini on Twitter that went viral.

"This witch hunt is a cowardly attempt by the Islamic republic to pin its many failures on two women journalists, to deflect attention from the repressive policies that gave birth to the country's organic and growing protest movement," said CHRI executive director Hadi Ghaemi.

- 'Critical moment' -

"The Islamic republic expects the world to turn its attention away from the deadly repression of the protests so that it can kill, maim, detain, and smear innocent people like these women with impunity," Ghaemi added.

The CPJ said the intelligence agencies' statement meant the two women could "face the death penalty if formally charged and convicted of espionage".

The arrest of reporters has also caused controversy inside Iran.

On Sunday, more than 300 Iranian journalists and photojournalists signed a statement criticising authorities for "arresting colleagues and stripping them of their civil rights after their detentions".

In a statement published in the Etemad newspaper, the Tehran journalists' association dismissed the "security approach" as "illegal" and "in conflict with press freedom".

But Iman Shamsai, the culture ministry's director general of local media, said "no one has been arrested in Tehran for media activity", the ISNA news agency reported.

CPJ President Jodie Ginsberg said Iranian authorities were "trying to silence a critical moment in the country's history".

Iran has become "among the world's top jailers of journalists in an astonishingly short time", she added.

"Iranian authorities should free all detained journalists immediately and unconditionally."

AFP

'Persepolis' author sings praise of Iranian protesters

Francois BECKER
Wed, November 2, 2022 

Marjane Satrapi
Iranian-French graphic novelist, cartoonist, illustrator, film director, and children's book author


For Marjane Satrapi, whose classic "Persepolis" tells the story of a girl growing up in post-revolutionary Iran, finding a way to voice support for the anti-theocracy protests in her native land wasn't easy.

The best-selling author has lived and worked in France for over two decades, and no longer claims to represent the country's youths who are defying a vicious crackdown by security forces.

"How am I going to speak for them?" Satrapi told AFP in rare public comments since the start of the uprising.

"But there is nothing worse than doing nothing," she said, denouncing "all this criticism of the actresses who were cutting their hair" in solidarity with the demonstrators.

Her response was to gather fellow French artists to sing "Baraye" -- the song that has become emblematic of the rebellion -- in a poignant video released on social media Wednesday.

The song -- whose title means "For" -- was written after the death of Mahsa Amini who had been arrested by Tehran morality police, in the incident which sparked the protests.

Arranged by the crooner Benjamin Biolay, the video features around 40 fellow artists such as pop star Yael Naim and the actors Hugo Becker, Chiara Mastroianni and Camille Cottin singing the verses in Persian.

"I thought it was necessary for the French to sing in Persian, because it sends a message to Iranians -- there's nothing as touching as trying to speak to you in your own language," Satrapi said.

Including men was important, she added, because "there are plenty of boys who are getting themselves killed over there... The beauty of this Iranian movement is that it was started by women and the men have joined in."

The video also includes images of the "Persepolis" film from 2007 based on her graphic novels, and ends with an ensemble chorus set against the red, white and green of the Iranian flag.

- Return to Iran? -

Satrapi, born in 1969, recounts in "Persepolis" her years as an outspoken teenager chafing at the Islamic revolution and its restrictions imposed on women, especially for one from a progressive family like hers.

At 14, her parents sent her to school in Vienna to avoid arrest over her defiance of the regime. She later returned to Tehran but then left for France in 1994, embarking on her career as an author, film director and painter.

As is the case for many living in exile, Satrapi said she had "buried half of herself" to avoid becoming "one of the old fogies of the diaspora who think nothing has changed since they left."

But the need to express her support for the current protests was galvanised by multiple video calls with protesters -- when Iran's internet and social media networks were working.

And even if she recognises that her video might not change things, "the dam is starting to break" in the face of a new "revolution".

Her optimism has even prompted her to dream of a different future, one that could again see her in her homeland.

"I am a bit morbid, and I had made a will -- I had told myself that even if I cannot return to my country, I had to be buried there, so the cycle would be complete."

"Now, I can see myself again walking the streets of Tehran, which is both the ugliest and most beautiful city on earth."

fbe/js/sjw/kjm

Rehab for Egypt's 'Britney' stirs talk on women's rights
Author: AFP|Update: 03.11.2022 


Sherine Abdel Wahab has long been a darling of Arab pop, but recent events have earned her the title of Egypt's Britney Spears / © AFP/File

In past weeks, the story of an Egyptian pop star admitted into a rehabilitation facility has spilled beyond celebrity gossip, and sparked new debate on women's rights in the conservative country.

Sherine Abdel Wahab has long been a darling of Arab pop, but recent events have earned her the title of Egypt's Britney Spears -- not for her musical talent but because of her family's efforts to portray her as unfit to manage her own affairs.

Her fanbase was shocked when she appeared sporting a dramatic new buzzcut, but when she was admitted into a rehabilitation facility last month for an unspecified addiction it sparked a groundswell of debate.

"I never would have expected that I would call Sherine Abdel Wahab Egypt's Britney Spears, but this is what is happening," former influential blogger Mahmoud Salem wrote on Facebook.

"A rich and successful star and based on her choices and her haircut, people decided that she is not OK -- her parents placed her in a facility against her will and say she is incompetent and in need of guardianship."

Weeks into her rehab stint, one voice has been missing from the raging debate -- that of Abdel Wahab herself / © AFP/File

Questions of consent and coercion were raised in a country where, in 2021, the government proposed -– without success -– a draft bill aimed at restricting the rights of nearly 50 million Egyptian women by, for example, allowing their fathers or their brothers to annul their marriages.

Nearly eight million women out of Egypt's 104 million people were victims of violence committed by their partners or relatives, or by strangers in public spaces, according to a United Nations survey conducted in 2015.

In the midst of the heated online discussion, conflicting versions of events have emerged from her family and her ex-husband, singer Hossam Habib.

The Abdel Wahab family has accused her ex-husband of being violent and wanting to take advantage of the singer's fame and money, which Habib denies.

With seven albums, a film and TV roles, the 42-year-old singer fascinates her public

 / © AFP/File

Abdel Wahab's brother and Habib both spoke by phone on different days to tell their side of the story on the programme "al-Hekaya" anchored by Amr Adib, one of Egypt's most watched talk show hosts.

"My mother was begging me to save her from her addiction," Mohammed Abdel Wahab said, accusing Habib of beating her and saying he had been forced to admit her into rehab.

"I have never been violent towards a woman, and I never took a pound from Sherine," her ex-husband replied.

- 'Forcibly disappeared' -

But weeks into her rehab stint, one voice has been missing from the raging debate -- that of Abdel Wahab herself.

In her last TV appearance in early October, Abdel Wahab -- usually known for her candour, which has often landed her in trouble -- spoke cryptically of her supposed addiction.

The Abdel Wahab family has accused her ex-husband of wanting to take advantage of the singer's fame and money / © AFP/File

"You can be addicted to medicine, to food, to bad habits, it is not just drugs," she said.

In the online din, misinformation has thrived, including claims that the singer had died, slipped into a coma and travelled to Europe. A recording circulated on social media claimed to be a leaked phone call in which Abdel Wahab said she was a victim of "a conspiracy".

Viewed by 1.6 million people on Facebook alone, the video was proven to be an old voice clip from 2019 by AFP fact-checkers.

But the absence of clarity hasn't prevented people from weighing in.

"Sherine Abdel Wahab was kidnapped, she is forcibly disappeared by her family because of her personal choices, as an adult, successful woman," Mahmoud Salem alleged in his Facebook post, reviving the #FreeBritney hashtag used to campaign for the US songstress's release from her father's conservatorship.

In her last TV appearance in early October, Abdel Wahab spoke cryptically of her supposed addiction / © AFP/File

Her lawyer Yasser Qantoush, who in mid-October accused the family of entering her home and having her committed against her will, has since withdrawn his complaint from the public prosecutor's office.

"I saw the medical reports deeming hospitalisation necessary," Qantoush told Adib on television.

"Sherine is a rare talent, she took up the torch of the great voices of the Arab world," said Tarek Mortada, spokesman of the Egyptian musicians' union, comparing her to Arab divas like Oum Kalthoum and Fairouz.

Her first album 'Free Mix 3' recorded with another star singer Tamer Hosni, sold more than 20 million copies.

With seven albums, a film, a TV series role and a seat as a judge on the Arabic version of "The Voice" talent show, the 42-year-old singer fascinates her public.

"Whether we love her or hate her, her name is engraved on our hearts," Mortada said. "Sherine Abdel Wahab is a victim of her own success, too many people want something from her."

Jair Bolsonaro has not officially conceded the race

Issued on: 02/11/2022 

In Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro has signaled a willingness to hand over power, two days after his loss in the presidential election to Lula da Silva. But the far-right president, who has been stoking fears about election integrity, has not officially conceeded the race. 

FRANCE 24's Nick Rushworth reports.

 

The recognition of Brazilian presidential election results: Between protests and congratulations

Issued on: 02/11/2022 - 

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday "authorised" the transition to a new government, without acknowledging his defeat to leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro, 67, broke two days of silence after his razor-thin loss to Lula on Sunday, which sparked protests from his supporters across the country and fanned fears he would not accept the outcome. 

FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell explains.

"PRISON, DEATH OR VICTORY"

Will Brazil's Bolsonaro, now defeated, go to jail?

Author: AFP|02.11.2022 

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro once took a stab at predicting the outcome of his 2022 re-election bid: "Prison, death or victory."

Victory it was not. Death came in the form of an end to his presidency, which he grudgingly accepted Tuesday -- two days after the election was declared for his opponent. And prison?

"You can be sure that option... does not exist," the far-right leader told members of his crucial evangelical support base in August 2021.

Analysts, however, believe a future behind bars may be a very real prospect for the bellicose Bolsonaro, even if it may take years.

Almost from the start of his controversial mandate in 2019, Bolsonaro racked up accusations and investigations for everything from spreading disinformation to crimes against humanity.

He survived more than 150 impeachment bids -- a record.

Most of these were over his flawed management of the coronavirus pandemic, which claimed the lives of more than 685,000 people in Brazil -- the world's second-highest toll after the United States.

While in office, Bolsonaro was shielded from legal consequences by two political allies: Attorney General Augusto Aras and Arthur Lira, the speaker of Brazil's lower house of Congress.

But that will change on January 1, 2023 when his arch-rival, leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, takes over the reins once more, and Bolsonaro loses his presidential immunity.

- 'Crimes against humanity' -

Legal problems can come from several fronts.

A Brazilian Senate committee has recommended charges over Bolsonaro's management of the Covid-19 pandemic, including "crimes against humanity."

Bolsonaro -- seen here in December 2021 -- was elected on an anti-corruption platform at a time when the country was reeling from a massive graft scandal / © AFP

The Covid-denying Bolsonaro, who punted unproven cures and said vaccines could turn people into "alligators," is also being investigated for allegedly failing to act on an embezzlement tip-off regarding coronavirus vaccine purchases.

Another probe is pending into claims that Bolsonaro leaked a classified police investigation into corruption accusations against his sons, and interfered in another.

The outgoing president was further implicated in a probe into his senator son Flavio for an alleged scheme to collect part of political staffers' salaries in a practice known as "rachadinha."

That case was scrapped on the grounds that Bolsonaro junior enjoyed parliamentary immunity.

Bolsonaro has consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming he is the victim of political persecution.

"They are looking for a way to get at me," he said after the online news site Uol published claims 30 days before the election, that his family members had bought 51 properties.

The properties were paid partly or fully in cash for a total of some $4.7 million between 1990 and 2022, with questions raised over the provenance of the money.

There were also claims of public money being abused on his watch to curry favor with evangelical leaders.

"When his presidential term ends, Jair Bolsonaro will be answerable to justice and the public prosecutor's office will be able to open new investigations," legal expert Rogerio Dultra dos Santos of Fluminense Federal University told AFP.

Bolsonaro was elected on an anti-corruption platform at a time when the country was reeling from a massive graft scandal involving state oil company Petrobras, Lula's government and his Workers' Party (PT).

Lula's own convictions in relation to that scandal were later annulled.

- 'Several years' -

Lula has vowed to grant access to possibly compromising documents, both official and personal, that Bolsonaro had sealed for 100 years before leaving office.

This "could have legal consequences," said Dos Santos.

However, any attempt to bring Bolsonaro to justice could "take several years" considering the likelihood of multiple appeals along the way, the analyst added.

Ironically, Bolsonaro could benefit from a Supreme Court ruling that allowed Lula's release from prison in November 2019 pending an appeal against his corruption conviction.

Temporarily changing gear from his previous insistence that Lula would never win the election, Bolsonaro recently said he would "stay out of politics" if he loses.

But Mayra Goulart, a political scientist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said she would be "very surprised" if this were true.

Lawmakers and various other public servants in Brazil enjoy immunity from prosecution while in office.

Whatever his legal fate, Goulart said Bolsonaro would likely follow a similar path as his political idol, Donald Trump, "who maintains a considerable influence on American politics despite his 2020 defeat."

FASCISTS

Bolsonaro supporters urge Brazil military to keep him in power

Florence GOISNARD with Marcelo SILVA DE SOUSA in Brasilia
Wed, November 2, 2022 


Thousands of Jair Bolsonaro's supporters called Wednesday for the Brazilian military to intervene and keep the right-wing president in power after he lost re-election over the weekend to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

After days of silence, Bolsonaro on Tuesday gave a short speech in which he neither accepted defeat nor congratulated Lula on his win, though his chief of staff took the podium afterward to say the president had "authorized" the transition to a new government.

Since then, his supporters have rallied in front of military installations in Brazil's major cities to call for action.

"Federal intervention now!" chanted some of the thousands who gathered in front of the Southeastern Military Command in the Latin American country's biggest city, Sao Paulo, on Wednesday.

"We want a federal intervention because we demand our freedom. We do not admit that a thief governs us," Angela Cosac, 70, told AFP, next to a sign reading "SOS Armed Forces".

Another demonstration along Sao Paulo's Paulista Avenue was also planned for later in the day.

Thousands also gathered in the capital, Brasilia, chanting "civil resistance." In rainy downtown Rio de Janeiro, demonstrators were filmed by Brazilian media chanting: "Lula, thief, your place is in prison."

- Blockades -

Protesters also maintained road blockades across the country for the third consecutive day, though the number decreased from 271 on Tuesday to 167 Wednesday, according to police.

In Sao Paulo, military police used tear gas to disperse a blockade on the main highway connecting the state with the central-west region of the country, after the Supreme Federal Court ordered the use of "all necessary measures" to open the roads.

Trucks sounded their horns while demonstrators, wearing yellow football jerseys, waved flags in front of passing vehicles, according to scenes broadcast on local television.

The blockades have caused disruptions across the country. The main airport in Sao Paulo, Guarulhos, cancelled 48 flights due to the protests, according to its press office.

The National Confederation of Industry warned on Tuesday of an "imminent risk of fuel shortages" if the roads were not quickly unblocked.

Infrastructure minister Marcelo Sampaio had asked late Tuesday for protesters to unblock the highways to allow medicine, supplies and fuel to circulate.

Bolsonaro on Tuesday said the roadblocks were "the fruit of indignation and a feeling of injustice at how the electoral process took place."

"Peaceful protests will always be welcome," he said.

That was interpreted by some supporters as a call to maintain the demonstrations.

"The dream is still alive," said a message by one supporter on Tuesday on Telegram. "Fill the streets tomorrow."

Bolsonaro's comments Tuesday broke his two days of silence on the election results, which had fanned fears he would not accept the outcome.

In a speech that lasted just over two minutes, the far-right incumbent did not mention Lula's name, but promised to "comply" with the constitution.

His chief of staff then told the gathered press that the president had "authorized" the start of the transition.

Lula's Workers' Party announced Tuesday that his vice-president-elect Geraldo Alckmin would lead the transition process, which would begin on Thursday.

Lula, who served as president from 2003 to 2010, will be inaugurated for his third term on January 1.

bur-msi/app/ll/st/des

FASCISMO'S SLANDER
Bolsonaro’s vice president says there is no electoral fraud, but Lula should not have participated

Daniel Stewart -

The still vice president of Jair Bolsonaro, Hamilton Mourao, said Wednesday that while he does not agree with those who claim that there was fraud in the last elections in Brazil, he also believes that "one of the players", in clear allusion to the elected president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, should not have participated.


File - Jair Bolsonaro and Hamilton Mourao. - -/GDA via ZUMA Wire/dpa© Provided by News 360

"We agreed to participate in a game with another player who should not have played. If we agreed, there is nothing to complain about. From that point on, there is no point in crying anymore, we lost the game," Mourao said in an interview with the newspaper 'O Globo'.

In another moment of that conversation, Mourao, who was elected senator in the first round, insisted that although in his point of view there was no fraud, as has been denounced by those who since Sunday have been blocking some of the main highways of the country, there was "a player who should not have played".

In this sense, he stressed that the protests should have taken place when "the player who should not have played" was authorized. "There they should have taken to the streets, but they did not. There are 58 million non-conformists, but they agreed to participate in the game, so they have to calm down," he has said.

Related video: 'Quite possible' Bolsonaro won't accept results of Brazil's presidential election

Duration 8:41

View on Watch

Bolsonaro's allies and voters who have come out to protest the election results and even call for military intervention argue that Lula da Silva should not have participated in the elections due to corruption convictions that were later proven fraudulent.

Brazil's Supreme Court decided to release him and annul his convictions in March 2021, thus recovering his political rights, after it considered that the court that tried him lacked competence and later evidenced that there was bias during a process in which Judge Sergio Moro - Bolsonaro's former Minister of Justice - acted as a sort of prosecutor.

Mourao has taken stock of these three years as vice-president of Brazil, a position, he said, that has caused him some "frustration" due to the few powers at his disposal, unlike other presidential regimes.

"What I have learned is that you have to know what the role of vice president is. The Constitution says that the Executive is exercised by the president and his ministers, the vice president is just an appendix," lamented Mourao, who during these years has starred in several dialectical disputes with Bolsonaro.

However, he has denied that he has publicly argued with him and blamed it on their different visions of how to do things, since the ideology and thinking is the same. "I never stressed with him, nor did he take my sleep away. I drink whiskey every day before going to sleep, so I don't lose sleep," he has confessed.

"He's a more incisive guy, with more verbosity, I'm not. My way of doing things is different. He was always a deputy, in the House if you don't stand out in the fight, they swallow you and Bolsonaro's role was to stick his finger in others and he continues to play that role and I'm past that phase of life," he has argued.

Regarding the time it took Bolsonaro to come out and show his face after his defeat, Mourao defended that "everyone acts in his own way" and that if he took almost two days it is because he was looking for "the best way" to act "without incurring in offenses or illegalities".

UK turning against Brexit and Tories look doomed: top pollster


Wed, November 2, 2022 


A persistent majority of Britons think Brexit was a mistake, one of the UK's leading pollsters said Wednesday, forecasting near-certain defeat for the Conservatives at the next election.

Professor John Curtice, president of the British Polling Council, said it was too soon to say that polls have shifted decisively in favour of overturning the 2016 vote to leave the European Union.

But he told reporters that the trend was clear since autumn 2021, when shortages of lorry drivers brought home to many the real-world costs of ending the EU's free movement of labour as part of the split.

"At the moment, it looks as though the 2016 referendum is going to be as unsuccessful as the 1975 one was in proving to be a permanent settlement of this debate," Curtice said in reference to a prior referendum.

"Probably Brexit is now less popular than it has been at any point since June 2016."

In 2016, the UK voted by 52-48 percent in favour of leaving the EU. Now, an average of polls shows about 57 percent want to change that, while 43 percent think it was the right decision.

The margin has grown wider this year as Britons contend with a cost-of-living crisis, and demographics point to greater pro-EU support in future as younger voters enter the electoral rolls since 2016.

But the main opposition Labour party is unlikely to reopen debate about EU membership, or rejoining the common market, before the next election for fear of scaring voters, Curtice said.

The election is not due for another two years but as it stands, the Conservatives are in deep trouble after installing their third prime minister of the year.

Rishi Sunak has helped to arrest the slump since entering 10 Downing Street last month, Curtice noted, but overall the Tories have a mountain to climb against Labour's average poll lead of 30 points.

"History suggests that it's going to be extremely difficult," the veteran pollster said.

"No government that has presided over a financial crisis has eventually survived at the ballot box," Curtice added, after Sunak's predecessor Liz Truss provoked a market panic with unfunded tax cuts.

"They have lost ground because the public in general have decided they cannot be trusted to run the country."

jit/phz/bp

NO HELMETS 
'Stubborn' football chiefs urged to strengthen concussion rules

Wed, November 2, 2022 


Football's "stubbornness" towards dealing with head injuries is endangering the health of players, a British brain injury charity said on Wednesday.

Headway highlighted the inconsistencies in the treatment of such injuries, citing the cases of Tottenham's Son Heung-min and Liverpool's James Milner in Champions League matches on Tuesday.

While the South Korean forward was substituted after a clash in Spurs' match against Marseille, Milner played on after suffering a head injury against Napoli before coming off early in the second half.

It followed an incident in the Premier League at the weekend where Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was initially allowed to play on despite suffering a head injury in his side's 4-0 defeat against Newcastle.

He was eventually replaced later in the first half by a concussion substitute. Such a change does not count towards a side's substitute limit but is permanent, unlike in rugby where players can return to the field if they pass a head injury assessment.

Luke Griggs, Headway's interim chief executive, said the assessment of players for potential concussion remained "extremely challenging" for medics.

"They are not helped by football's continued and unjustifiable reluctance to introduce temporary concussion substitutes that would enable extended assessments in the quiet confines of a dressing room, away from the intense atmosphere of the pitch," he said.

"We have repeatedly warned football of the risk it is taking with the short and long-term health of players."

Multiple studies have shown a link between brain injuries and an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disease, and that ex-professional athletes are at an increased risk of developing such conditions.

"Football's stubbornness to accept the clear evidence that has emerged in recent years can no longer be tolerated," said Griggs.

The Professional Footballers' Association on Monday called for trials of temporary concussion substitutes, and urged European governing body UEFA to introduce permanent concussion substitutes to its competitions.

Arsenal ended their recent women's Champions League clash at Ajax with 10 players after England forward Beth Mead suffered a blow to the head.

The Gunners had used their full allocation of substitutes, but were not allowed to replace Mead with the Euro 2022 top goalscorer calling for action from UEFA.

"At the time it was a bit of a scary situation," said Mead. "It’s such a serious injury, I think that’s a little bit disappointing that’s (concussion substitutes)not in place at the moment and something that they maybe need to look at.”

UEFA has a defined head injury procedure and has set up a concussion charter which clubs and national teams in men's and women's competitions have been encouraged to sign up to.

The governing body trialled permanent concussion substitutes at the men's European Under-21 Championship in Hungary and Slovenia last year.

Rising star footballers among young athletes to benefit from new screening tool

Elite young athletes are set to benefit from a novel screening tool with the potential to change clinical practice by ruling out a serious heart condition frequently misdiagnosed. The research is thanks to a jointly led study by the Universities of Exeter

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF EXETER

Elite young athletes are set to benefit from a novel screening tool with the potential to change clinical practice by ruling out a serious heart condition frequently misdiagnosed. The research is thanks to a jointly led study by the Universities of Exeter and Bristol, working with rising athletes from around the world.

Cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease in the muscle of the heart, is a genetic condition in which the walls of the heart chambers no longer develop as they would normally, taking many forms. This can lead to collapses on the pitch, or affect the heart's ability to pump blood around the body.

For one in twenty healthy adolescent athletes, training alone leads to changes in how the heart appears during ultrasound. This means diagnosing a cardiomyopathy can often be difficult, and being told there is even the suspicion of disease can lead to a huge amount of psychological distress, which often stops them taking part in training and competition until a clear decision is made.

In this large international study, more than 400 youth athletes from Manchester United Youth Academy, Football Club Barcelona, and Qatar Aspire Academy were screened using novel and non-invasive ultrasound techniques. These techniques, already used in clinical diagnosis of patients, are an important step forward in developing a new pathway to screening for cardiomyopathy in athletes. The team now hope the new techniques will reduce rates of false diagnosis, potentially saving the NHS time and resource in providing follow up tests to rule out the condition and prevent health scares.

Professor Craig Williams, Director of the Children's Health & Exercise Research Centre at the University of Exeter said: “Our results show the power of novel ultrasound techniques, when screening athletes where suspicion of cardiomyopathy has been raised, but who are otherwise perfectly healthy. The difference this makes results is more accurate cardiomyopathy diagnosis, especially in young athletes, thus better protecting the athletes of tomorrow.”

Dan Dorobantu, PhD student in cardiology at the University of Exeter, added: “Often times when screening athletes, we would see changes that could be due to a disease, but equally so because of how the heart adapts to training. Reaching a clear conclusion can involve more tests, follow-up visits, and considerable stress for the athletes. Any new technique that can help us better diagnose these cases would lead to improvements in screening, and the care we provide our athletes.”

The paper ‘The use of 2-D speckle tracking echocardiography in assessing adolescent athletes with left ventricular hypertrabeculation meeting the criteria for left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy’ is published in the International Journal of Cardiology.

---

JOURNAL

International Journal of Cardiology

DOI

10.1016/j.ijcard 

Disclaimer: AAAS an

Arab League voices 'total support' for Palestinians

Ezzedine SAID
Wed, November 2, 2022 


Arab leaders on Wednesday vowed their "total support" for the Palestinian cause, as veteran Israeli hawk Benjamin Netanyahu inched closer to a return to power.

The declaration came in the final statement of the first Arab League summit since the United Arab Emirates normalised ties with the Jewish state in 2020, sparking a string of similar moves that have divided the region.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas had called for more support from the 22-state bloc in the face of "crimes" by Israel, which he accused of "systematically destroying the two-state solution and throwing away agreements it has signed".

In a speech to the summit in Algeria, Abbas made no reference to the Israeli election on Tuesday, but urged Arab leaders to "save the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre before they're Judaised", referring to sensitive religious sites in the Israeli-annexed Old City of Jerusalem.

Member states affirmed in the summit's final declaration the "centrality of the Palestinian cause and our absolute support for the Palestinian people's inalienable rights" including to an independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Israel seized east Jerusalem and the Old City in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it, in a move not recognised by most of the international community.

The statement made no mention of the US-mediated Arab normalisation deals with Israel, but said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be resolved "on the basis of land for peace".

It also voiced support for the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative that calls for Israel's withdrawal from land it occupied in 1967 including the West Bank.
- 'Concrete actions' not statements -

The Arab League has for decades been a forum for strident statements of solidarity with the Palestinians, but has had little real impact in its 77 years of existence.


Leaders addressing Wednesday's session took turns in declaring support for a Palestinian state, and the final statement backed moves to make the state of Palestine a full member of the United Nations.

Abbas avoided directly mentioning the Israeli election that, according to initial results, looks set to deliver a comeback by former premier Netanyahu, who has long dropped any support for a two-state solution.

Netanyahu's possible return comes almost two years after a normalisation accord with the UAE mediated by the administration of former US president Donald Trump.

It was quickly followed by another with Bahrain, a provisional deal with Sudan and a re-launch of ties with Morocco, helping rekindle the kingdom's decades-old rivalry with neighbouring Algeria.

Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Israel would be committing "a grave error" if it stands in the way of a two-state solution, as Palestinians and Arab citizens of Israel already form a majority in the territory Israel controls.

But an editorial in the Palestinian Al-Quds newspaper said Palestinians "don't need any more statements, of which we've heard many, but concrete actions on the ground".

It also called for the summit to take a stand "against Arab countries' normalisation deals with the occupier (Israel) which totally ignore our cause".
- Libya, Syria, oil -

The summit also touched on conflicts across the region.


It expressed "support for efforts to end the Libyan crisis through an inter-Libyan solution" and "a joint effort" by Arab states to end fighting in Syria.

In a nod to Saudi Arabia, it expressed its backing for oil producers after the Saudi-led OPEC cartel and allied producers headed by Russia angered Washington by slashing production by two million barrels a day from November, further pushing up already elevated crude prices.

The statement said the "balanced" policy would help stabilise markets and "help the interests of both producer and consumer nations".

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, however, was the summit's most notable absentee, staying away with a reported ear infection.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Algeria's main rival, also stayed away.

Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told AFP that Algeria had sent "no confirmation via the appropriate channels" when Moroccan diplomats in Algiers asked how the monarch would be hosted, but that the king had invited Tebboune for a "dialogue" in Rabat.

ezz/par/ami/pjm

GREEN CAPITALI$M

Saudi Arabia offers green bonds in push toward net zero

While the move signals that the kingdom understands the global trends toward "green," its impact on climate action will require further steps.

Saudi Miniser of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud addresses delegates during the 2021 climate summit, Glasgow, Ireland, Nov. 10, 2021. - Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

Harry Clynch
November 2, 2022

Last month, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) issued green bonds — a financial instrument used to raise funds for environmentally friendly projects — for the first time. Entering debt capital markets for the first time, PIF raised $3 billion, which will contribute to the overall sum of $10 billion that the fund aims to invest in green projects by 2026. PIF has been tasked with helping the Saudi economy diversify away from oil.

Saudi Arabia has committed to a number of ambitious climate goals. The country aims to reduce carbon emissions by 278 million tons a year by 2030, as well as increase its renewable energy generation capacity by 50%. The country’s leading oil powerhouse — Saudi Aramco — has also committed to net zero operational emissions by 2050, with the country itself aiming for net zero by 2060. PIF aims to finance this transition through green bonds.

Faisal Siddique, a C-suite executive operating in Saudi’s financial sector, believes this is “a positive step forward” in the kingdom realizing its green ambitions. He told Al-Monitor, “The issuance was eight times oversubscribed, which shows great interest from investors.” That said, Siddique also argued that Saudi Arabia’s climate targets will “require significant investment” and that other sources of capital, such as “government funding, public and private investment, and conventional loans from financial institutions,” will also be required.

However, Charlene Cranny, sustainable finance specialist at Volans, a London-based think tank that advises on green transformation, believes that the green bonds are “a positive sign rather than step.”

She told Al-Monitor, “It signals that Saudi Arabia understands the trends toward 'green,' and that they can attract investment quickly by taking that route. But [it’s] not a significant step forward on climate action by any stretch.”

Indeed, many are concerned that PIF’s green bonds amount to “greenwashing.” The Financial Times recently examined the bonds’ terms and conditions and found them to be extremely vague. Most notably, PIF didn’t define what they believe “green” actually means. At least in theory, this means the funding could be used for practically anything.

Siddique believes that the kingdom has every incentive to comply with international standards. While accepting that “greenwashing is a genuine concern,” he thinks that organizations such as the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will be “there to help keep a tight check on [any] false and misleading claims.” Siddique also noted that, for reputational reasons, Saudi Arabia may wish to avoid a “backlash from media and social groups.” At a time when Saudi Arabia is trying to improve its image on the world stage, and make itself a more attractive option for foreign investors, Siddique questions why they would potentially undermine this by engaging in greenwashing.

Cranny is not so sure. "It is clear from the small print, as reported by the FT, that no assurance is given that the bond will meet investors’ expectations on 'green' due to varying definitions,” she noted. “They could have attempted to define what this bond meant by 'green' for investor clarity, but did not.”

She added, “One way to tell if a bond issuer — or investment fund — is serious about the transition to a low-carbon future is by looking at what proportion of its finance and investment is committed to achieving it.”

“I understand that the Saudi PIF is currently aligned to a 3-4 degrees warming future,” Cranny said. This means that their economic models make the assumption that global temperatures could rise by as much as 4 degrees over the coming decades. “This recent $3 billion bond won’t bring the $606 billion PIF to 1.5 or even 2 degrees. Until we see a plan to transition the entire Saudi PIF toward net zero, it’s wrong to refer to Saudi Arabia as going green.”

Furthermore, some have questioned whether Saudi Arabia has enough incentive to push for green transformation. After all, its status as one of the world’s leading oil producers offers the country a huge amount of political power. This was clear recently, when the kingdom opted to back cuts to global oil supplies in order to maintain high prices, defying US pressure. Claims that PIF is engaging in greenwashing have, perhaps, helped to strengthen the view that Saudi Arabia is not truly committed to green transformation, despite their net zero commitments.

Despite her concerns over the green bonds, Cranny believes that Saudi Arabia does still recognize the need to shift to green practices. She noted that the kingdom’s Vision 2030 “aims to make the country more resilient over the long term by diversifying away from its 75% dependency on exhaustible oil exports for its budget.” This implies an acknowledgement that the world is seeking to move away from fossil fuels, which could undermine Saudi Arabia’s economic power. Should they wish to retain this power in a net zero future, they will need to diversify away from oil exports.

Siddique also thinks that “it is in the interest of Saudi Arabia to take the lead in green initiatives.”

He said, “Since Saudi Arabia is a leading fossil fuel producer, it can also become a globally influential leader in renewable energy, such as wind and solar, which are as abundantly available as fossil fuels [in the kingdom]. Vision 2030 states that renewable energy will generate 50% of the kingdom’s power by 2030.”

Siddique believes that PIF’s green bonds have set a standard in the region and could prompt neighboring countries to follow suit. “Most Gulf Cooperation Council countries face a similar carbon emission challenge and need to issue bonds to finance their long-term projects based on green initiatives,” he noted. “They can use the PIF Green Bond as a benchmark to issue their bonds.” This is a sign, perhaps, that Saudi Arabia is “taking the lead in this space,” both in the region and more widely.

PIF’s issuance of green bonds demonstrates that the kingdom is clearly taking steps — at least symbolically — to begin the transition to a greener, net zero future. However, there is much more that needs to be done. For one, the bonds raised only a relatively small amount. In Siddique’s words, “green bonds [are] not enough as the required investments are massive.” As he pointed out, the value of the global green bond market is only $500 billion, “compared to conventional bonds, which stand at $120 trillion.”

It is also clear that Saudi Arabia will need to make the terms of its green bonds more stringent, both to ensure that the funds are used meaningfully to help transition to a green future, and that investors can be confident enough in the bonds’ reliability to dedicate further funds. Cranny thinks that “all foreign investment should be linked to and incentivize [the kingdom’s] sustainability goals.” In other words, foreign investors should only invest in financial products, such as green bonds, on the condition that the cash is used directly to further the kingdom’s journey toward net zero. To ensure this is the case, she also notes that outcomes should be “independently audited.”

While the green bonds are, in Cranny’s words, a “good start,” the Saudi Arabia will need to dedicate further work and resources to developing its green economy.

EXPROPRIATION

Another bank held up in Lebanon despite heightened security

Two more angry Lebanese depositors have taken guns into their banks to demand their trapped savings.

Lebanese security forces and press stand outside a branch of Credit Libanais bank held up by an angry depositor demanding access to his savings in the capital Beirut's southern suburb of Haret Hreik on Oct. 5, 2022. - ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

Al-Monitor Staff
November 2, 2022

Two men entered a Lebanese bank with a gun today demanding access to their savings.

What happened: Ali al-Saheli and Ibrahim Baydoun stormed a branch of Credit Libanais in the town of Hazmieh, Mount Lebanon. Saheli, an Internal Security Forces retiree, was armed with a handgun and a Molotov cocktail. They demanded tens of thousands of dollars from their own deposits, according to Lebanese media reports.

Saheli reportedly held up a bank in October as well and was arrested and released.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported that the men made off with $50,000.

A video posted by the Association of Depositors in Lebanon showed Saheli threatening to hurt people in the bank while holding the gun. The association advocates on behalf of Lebanese people who cannot access their savings

Why it matters: There have been numerous armed holdups of banks in Lebanon in recent weeks. Most Lebanese people are unable to access their savings due to capital controls and mismanagement of funds. The value of the Lebanese pound has also plummeted against the dollar, making the worth of many people’s savings drop considerably.

Many banks shut down completely for several days in September due to the heists. Banks have also boosted security.

Know more: Lebanon’s economic crisis has been ongoing since 2019. In addition to the financial suffering, the country is contending with devastating fuel and electricity shortages.

Violence and suicides are rising in Lebanon as a result, with murder going up 18% this year.

ISRAELI FASCISM

Explainer: Kahanism, far-right ideology linked to Netanyahu’s election win

Religious Zionism politician Itamar Ben Gvir has been linked to the late American-Israeli firebrand Meir Kahane, who called for the expulsion of Arabs from Israel.

A follower of the late Brooklyn-born Rabbi Meir Kahane (image on candle) prays at his grave in the Givat Shaul cemetery on the outskirts of Jerusalem Nov. 9, 2006, to mark the 16th anniversary of his assassination in Manhattan. 

- MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images

Adam Lucente
November 2, 2022

With most of the votes counted, it appears former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon return to power in Israel. Netanyahu’s Likud was in first place with 32 seats after more than 87% of the ballots were counted from this week’s election, followed by current Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid and Religious Zionism

The right-wing Jewish nationalist party Otzma Yehudit, aka Jewish Power, recently joined Religious Zionism. Jewish Power and its leader Itamar Ben Gvir are expected to serve in Netanyahu’s government. Gvir specifically wants the public security minister position that oversees the police, according to Israeli reports.

Ben Gvir, a lawyer, used to defend radical right-wing Jews in court, and has himself been indicted for inciting violence. He and Jewish Power are sometimes linked to the ideology of Kahanism, named after late American-Israeli Rabbi Meir Kahane. Kahanism has long been polarizing in Israel for its views on Arabs and Palestinians and the corresponding Kach party is outlawed. So what is Kahanism and what do its adherents believe?

Kahane was born in Brooklyn, New York, into an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family. He became a rabbi and was a proponent of Zionism from a young age. In 1968, he founded the Jewish Defense League, which to this day serves to protect Jews against antisemitism. The organization was known for criticizing the Soviet Union’s restrictions on Jewish emigration in its early days, but was later associated with violence, such as a 2001 plot to bomb the office of Palestinian-American Congressman Darrell Issa.

Kahane immigrated to Israel in 1971 and founded the Kach party. Kahane and the eponymous ideology went well beyond mainstream Zionism and actually called for expelling all Arabs from Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Kahane’s plan was for Arabs to hear his message and accept being resettled outside of Israel for compensation. “Any Arab willing to leave will get full compensation for his property, which is more than they gave Jews leaving Egypt and Iraq,” Kahane told a crowd of supporters in 1984.

He also called for retaliatory violence against Arabs in response to attacks on Jews in Israel.

“They must understand that a bomb thrown at a Jewish bus is going to mean a bomb thrown at an Arab bus,” Kahane once said.

Kahane’s Kach party picked up a seat in the Knesset in 1984, but was outlawed by 1994 under Israel’s anti-terrorism laws.

Some Kahanists have been associated with violence. The most notorious incident took place in 1994, when American-Israeli Kach supporter Baruch Goldstein shot dead 29 Palestinians in the Cave of the Patriarchs, also known as the Ibrahimi Mosque, in the West Bank. The incident was widely condemned in Israel and the American Jewish community.

Kahane himself was assassinated in 1990 by El Sayyid Nosair, an Egyptian who immigrated to the United States. Nosair was also later convicted in relation to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

Ben Gvir and Jewish Power have been frequently linked to Kahane in the Israeli press. There are similarities, and Ben Gvir was once a member of Kach. Ben Gvir has called for expelling “disloyal” Arabs from the country, though it is unclear how this determination would be made. He also infamously used to have a photo of Goldstein in his living room.

Ben Gvir himself addressed his views on Kahane in an interview last year. The politician praised Kahane, but said he does not “generalize” about Arabs in the same way.

“I think Rabbi Kahane was a holy man, a righteous man, who fought for the Jewish people,” he said. “But after all that, no, I’m not Rabbi Kahane word for word…I don’t support generalizing about the Arabs.”

Kahane’s views on Arab and Palestinian Israelis are still present elsewhere on the Israeli right. Earlier this year, a parliamentarian from the rival right-wing party Yamina said he wished “all Arabs would go on a train to Switzerland.” He later apologized.

Merchandise reading “Kahane was right” in Hebrew is not uncommon among far-right Jewish Israelis.

Why it matters: Ben Gvir’s likely inclusion as a minister in a Netanyahu government will affect relations with the United States. Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reported today that the Biden administration would not work with Ben Gvir, citing two US officials.

The United States removed the inactive Kach from its list of foreign terrorist organizations in May.

The next Israeli government is shaping up to look quite different from the current one, which included an Arab political party for the first time ever.

Lapid supports the creation of a Palestinian state, unlike Netanyahu and Ben Gvir, though negotiations with the Palestinians remain dormant.

Pope visits Bahrain for interfaith talks with rights in spotlight

Workers clean up outside the cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, near the Bahraini capital Manama, ahead of the pope's visit - -

by Clément MELKI
November 3, 2022 — Vatican City (AFP)

Pope Francis, leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics, flies Thursday to the Gulf state of Bahrain to foster ties with Islam in a voyage overshadowed by criticism of human rights abuses.

The second voyage by a pope to the Arabian Peninsula after Francis' 2019 trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is similarly aimed at encouraging interfaith dialogue between Muslims and Christians, and will include the pontiff leading a prayer for peace at a vast modern cathedral opened last year.

But criticism of Bahrain's human rights record has already erupted ahead of Francis' voyage, which lasts through Sunday, as international rights groups urge him to speak out against alleged abuses against Shiites, activists and opposition figures in the Sunni-led monarchy.

The 85-year-old Francis, who will likely be mostly confined to a wheelchair due to recurring knee pain, is scheduled to arrive at 4:45 pm local time (1345 GMT) and conduct a "courtesy visit" with King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa following a welcoming ceremony.

He will then give a speech to authorities, diplomats and members of civil society, according to his official schedule.

On Friday, Francis will address the "Bahrain Dialogue Forum: East and West for Human Coexistence", organised by the UAE-based Muslim Council of Elders, followed by a private meeting with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of the prestigious Cairo-based Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest Sunni institution.

The two religious leaders signed a joint document pledging interfaith coexistence during Francis' UAE trip in 2019.

The Argentine pope has made outreach to Muslim communities a priority during his papacy, visiting major Muslim countries such as Egypt, Turkey and Iraq, and most recently in September, Kazakhstan.

On Tuesday, Francis asked the faithful assembled on Saint Peter's Square to pray for his upcoming trip, calling it "a journey under the banner of dialogue".

Ahead of the voyage, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told journalists he would not guess whether Francis would broach the topic of human rights.

But the pope's view "concerning religious freedom and liberty is clear and known", Bruni said.

- Public pressure -

Francis' visit to Bahrain comes amid recent scrutiny of the rights record of neighbour Qatar -- particularly treatment of low-income migrant workers, women and the LBGTQ community -- ahead of the World Cup later this month, which it is hosting.

But on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch and eight other rights groups called on Francis to publicly press Bahrain to "halt all executions, abolish the death penalty, and seriously investigate torture allegations and violations of the right to a fair trial".

They also called on Francis to demand better protections of migrant workers and the release of opposition figures, journalists and others still imprisoned since a crackdown that followed pro-democracy protests in 2011.

A government spokesman rejected the groups' allegations, stating Tuesday that Bahrain "does not tolerate discrimination" and no one is prosecuted for their religious or political beliefs.

Friday's "prayer for peace" will be held at the cavernous Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral in Awali, which seats over 2,000 people and opened in December. It was built to serve Bahrain's approximately 80,000 Catholics, mainly workers from southern Asia, including India and the Philippines.

On Saturday, Francis will lead mass at Bahrain's national stadium before a crowd of nearly 30,000 people, where workers on Wednesday were adding finishing touches, including a giant gold cross above Francis' chair.

About 2,000 spots will be saved for Catholics arriving from Saudi Arabia, Bishop Paul Hinder, the apostolic administrator for the vicariate of Northern Arabia, told Vatican News.

Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, the cradle of Islam, is an absolute monarchy repeatedly accused of abuses by rights groups. Riyadh does not recognise freedom of religion and bans all non-Muslim places of worship.

Francis will preside over a prayer meeting with Catholic clergy and others on Sunday before his return to Rome.

Ahead of COP27, Democrats push Biden to confront Egypt on human rights

A group of lawmakers want President Joe Biden to use the climate conference to press Egypt for improvements in its dire human rights record.

 

Egyptian activists Mohamed Adel (L), Ahmed Douma (C) and Ahmed Maher (R) stand in the accused dock during their trial on Dec. 22, 2013, in Cairo. - STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images

Elizabeth Hagedorn
November 2, 2022

As Egypt gears up to host the United Nations climate conference next week, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers have written to President Joe Biden asking that he push the Egyptian government to release political prisoners and allow the full participation of civil society in the annual summit.

The COP27 climate talks will put an international spotlight on Egypt, a strategic US partner in the Middle East with a long track record of jailing dissidents and stifling free speech. Biden and his climate envoy, John Kerry, will attend the summit in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, which begins Nov. 6.

The letter obtained by Al-Monitor, led by Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Reps. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Bill Keating (D-Mass.), cites Egypt's jailing of political prisoners, including many environmental activists.

“With the world’s attention on Sharm el-Sheikh this month, COP27 presents a unique opportunity for the United States to press the Egyptian government to release these activists and demonstrate its commitment to inclusive engagement with the full range of stakeholders on climate solutions,” reads the letter signed by 56 House and Senate lawmakers.

"Widespread arbitrary detentions, restrictions on members of the media and nongovernmental organizations, and the crackdown on the government’s political opponents cannot be ignored while Egypt enjoys a spotlight on the world stage," they add.

Human rights have deteriorated since Egyptian President Abdel Fattal al-Sisi rose to power following a 2013 military coup. The clampdown has reportedly impacted the work of environmental campaigners, with UN rights experts in October describing “a climate of fear for Egyptian civil society organizations to engage visibly at the COP27.”

The congressional letter calls on the Biden administration to push Egypt to allow government critics "access to engage and express their positions freely at COP27" and notes that this "simply cannot occur with the unprecedented detention of leading environmental activists and prominent political prisoners."

The lawmakers urged US officials to push for the "immediate and unconditional release" of those jailed for exercising free speech, and specifically raise the cases of activists Alaa Abdel Fattah and Ahmed Douma, human rights lawyer Mohamed el Baqer, blogger Mohamed “Oxygen” Ibrahim, former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, Seif and Safwan Thabet, and environmentalist Ahmed Amasha.

The Egyptian government denies holding political prisoners and says many of the protesters, journalists and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood languishing in Egypt’s jails constitute a national security threat.

Cairo also points to improvements in its rights record that have been welcomed by Washington, including the launch of a new human rights strategy and a national dialogue with opposition groups. Egyptian authorities have also released hundreds of political prisoners this year, although monitoring groups say new arrests outpace the recent releases.

Biden’s trip to Egypt will be the first for any US president since 2009. Nineteen rights organizations last month urged him to secure reforms before any possible meeting with Sisi or risk “bolstering the Egyptian government’s international whitewashing efforts.”

The Biden administration came into office pledging to make human rights central to its relationship with Egypt. However, its release of a portion of the military assistance that Congress conditioned on Egypt meeting human rights requirements has disappointed some in Biden’s own party who say he could be doing more to hold the longtime US partner accountable.

US officials say they’ve raised human rights concerns with the Egyptian government both publicly and privately. They describe Egypt as an important strategic partner in the Middle East and point to its role in mediating conflicts between Israel and Palestinian militants.

In their letter, the lawmakers describe “respect for human rights and civil society [as] a core dimension of both US national security interests and our collective ambitions toward climate action.”