Protest Is Risky at Egypt's Climate Talks. That Won't Stop Activists

The Washington Post reported that an Egyptian lawmaker yelled at a human rights activist after the event. Foreign countries are being summoned to pressure Egypt. UN security escorted him out after he continued to berate her.

The conditions for organizing peaceful demonstrations and press conferences in Egypt make it difficult for activist organizations. They are forced into exile because of fear. Ubrei-Joe Maimoni Mariere is a Nigerian environmental activist with the Friends of the Earth Africa. Egypt is not a good place to hold a COP because of the repressive nature of the government. He says that activists are careful not to break the law. He wants the meeting to be held in a place where people live with the effects of climate change.

According to reports, US President Joe Biden is going to press el-Sisi on human rights issues. One of the top recipients of military aid from the US, Russia, France, and Italy is Egypt. Seif called for the aid to be reduced. Weapons will be used against us. She said that you have to rethink your foreign policy in Egypt.

The situation for activists in Egypt has worsened since the coup that brought el-Sisi to power. He says that after the fall of Mubarak people felt more powerful. A community in western Egypt organized a sit-in, demanding to be returned to their lands, after being displaced by a nuclear power plant. A compensation scheme was created after that protest. He said that every aspect of the story is impossible to imagine.

Some environmental groups and activists do not engage in certain actions and discussions that could get them in trouble as a result of the general clampdown that Human Rights Watch has seen. Rall says that the environment for demonstrators was already bad before the COP 27 summit began. The message was clear when he was freed the next day.

The next UN climate summit will take place in the United Arab Emirates. The government is seen as a repressive one. Bahgat said that there is no climate justice without human rights.

Gregory Barber reported additional information.