Category Archives: Egypt
Egyptian trade unionists call on global labour movement to support Alexandria Shipyard workers
Leading Egyptian trade unionists have launched an open letter calling on the global labour movement to mobilise solidarity for the Alexandria Shipyard workers, as the military court postponed the verdict in their trial for a second time until 18 September. The workers will face another month in horrific detention conditions without knowing whether they will face a jail term for organising to improve their pay and conditions at work. The 26 workers were sent to trial after the military police surrounded the Shipyard in May this year, and arrested workers on charges of “incitement to strike”.
Egyptian opposition closing ranks in bid to end Sisi’s rule
Egyptian opposition figures and parties are uniting in the face of increased state repression during “a crucial year” for the future of the country’s democracy, one of Egypt’s leading opposition politicians has said.
| Egypt must look into all reports of torture, not just the death of Giulio Regeni
As members of the wider academic community of which Giulio Regeni was a part, we were deeply saddened to learn of his death (Italian student’s death in Cairo was ‘inhuman’, 8 February). Our community has been enriched by his presence. We are diminished by the loss of a young researcher whose work tackled questions that are vitally important to our understanding of contemporary Egyptian society. Our thoughts go out first of all to his family and friends at this acutely painful moment.
| Security Council calls for eradicating ISIL safe havens in Syria and Iraq
November 20, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on international terrorism proposed by France. All council members voted ‘yes’.
The Security Council called on all countries that can do so to take the war on terrorism to Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria and Iraq and destroy its safe haven, warning that the group intends to mount further terror attacks like those that devastated Paris and Beirut last week.
Islamic State says ‘Schweppes bomb’ used to bring down Russian plane
Islamic State’s official magazine carried a photo on Wednesday of a Schweppes soft drink can it said was used to make an improvised bomb that brought down a Russian airliner over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula last month, killing all 224 people on board.
The photo showed a can of Schweppes Gold soft drink and what appeared to be a detonator and switch on a blue background, three simple components that if genuine are likely to cause concern for airline safety officials worldwide.
