Egypt’s Human Rights Abuses: Made in USA?

"It’s time to ensure that Egyptian human rights violations don’t come labeled “Made in the USA.”

On Oct. 9, the U.S. government announced that the U.S. was suspending millions of dollars in military aid to the Egypt. That was good news, but it’s not enough.

The White House decision fell short of the kind of systematic review necessary to bring public transparency to U.S. arms sales to Egypt and stronger protections against U.S. weapons being used in human rights violations.

On October 8, Amnesty International sent a letter to President Obama calling for three steps to protect Egyptians against the risk of human rights violations involving U.S. arms exports.

The letter made three requests:

• Stop putting lives at risk: The U.S. government should publicly halt the transfer of all small arms, light weapons, related ammunition, equipment and vehicles that bear a substantial risk of being used by Egypt’s security forces to commit human rights violations. These human rights violations include the violent dispersals of crowds and unwarranted lethal force against protesters.

• Make U.S. arms exports public: The U.S. should publicly disclose its arms exports and transfers to Egypt. The arms sales of greatest concern are often of low dollar value and seldom subject to public scrutiny or Congressional reporting requirements. The U.S. public needs to know what weapons its government is sending to Egypt, and why.

• Don’t train violators: The U.S. should prioritize training and assistance arrangements that include rigorous practical exercises and operating standards designed to advance full respect for international human rights law. Egyptian participants – both trainees and trainers – should be vetted to make sure they are not themselves implicated in serious human rights abuses.

Our letter followed several Amnesty International reports finding that Egyptian military and security forces used excessive and lethal force used against Egyptians. Time and time again, Amnesty International found that Egyptian forces targeted and used live ammunition against bystanders and unarmed protesters. Not only that, but Egyptian security forces failed to meet international standards that require that lethal force be used only in situations where lives are in danger......"