The Biden administration has decided to override human rights conditions on military aid to Egypt, according to a State Department spokesperson.

For the first time under this administration, Egypt will receive its full allocation of $1.3 billion in military aid this year, despite ongoing concerns regarding the country’s human rights record.

This decision comes as Washington leans on Cairo, a key U.S. ally, to mediate the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas amid the Gaza conflict.

Of the $1.3 billion allocated, $320 million was subject to conditions related to human rights concerns, a portion that had been partially withheld in previous years.

However, Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed Congress that he would waive certification on $225 million due to Egypt’s human rights issues, citing “the U.S. national security interest.”

The spokesperson highlighted that the decision is crucial for promoting regional peace and addressing U.S. security concerns, particularly Egypt’s role in securing a Gaza ceasefire, helping release hostages, and providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

Senator Chris Murphy, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Middle East subcommittee, pointed out that while the U.S. has previously withheld aid from Egypt over human rights issues, it has continued to maintain a strategic partnership with the country.

“Egypt is still a deeply repressive autocratic state, and there is no justification for overlooking that by waiving these conditions,” Murphy stated.

Despite accusations of widespread human rights abuses under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, including torture and enforced disappearances, Egypt remains a key U.S. ally.

Sisi denies the existence of political prisoners, emphasizing that stability and security are priorities, and claims the government is focused on promoting rights through efforts to meet basic needs like employment and housing.

The conflict in Gaza, triggered by the October 7 attacks by Palestinian militants on southern Israel, has heightened Washington’s dependence on Cairo for diplomatic initiatives, including ceasefire negotiations.

Additionally, critical humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza is being delivered through Egypt.

 

Persistent  Detentions

Last year, Blinken granted a similar waiver on human rights conditions but withheld a portion of the military aid due to Egypt’s lack of “clear and consistent progress” in releasing political prisoners.

This year, he concluded that Egypt had made enough strides regarding political prisoners to release $95 million previously tied to the issue, according to the spokesperson.

They pointed to Egypt’s steps in drafting legislation to reform pretrial detention and the penal code, releasing some political detainees, and lifting travel bans and asset freezes linked to foreign funding for NGOs.

However, rights groups have raised concerns over the effectiveness of the pretrial detention reforms, noting that some human rights lawyers remain under travel restrictions.

Seth Binder, director of advocacy for the Washington-based Middle East Democracy Center, noted that while approximately 970 prisoners had been released since last September, at least 2,278 Egyptians were arrested arbitrarily during the same time, based on data from the center and Egyptian human rights organizations.

“There’s no scenario where one could argue there’s been significant progress on Egypt’s human rights situation, which remains in crisis,” Binder declared, citing the tens of thousands of political prisoners still detained.

The State Department spokesperson added that the U.S. continues to engage in “rigorous dialogue” with Egypt on the need for concrete human rights improvements, essential for maintaining a strong U.S.-Egypt relationship.

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