Human Rights Groups Slams Macron As Egyptian President Al-Sisi Visits France

Human Rights groups have urged French President Emmanuel Macron to end France's "disgraceful policies of indulgence" towards Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, ahead of a meeting between the two leaders in Paris.

Macron will welcome al-Sisi to the Elysee Palace in Paris on Tuesday (24 October) for talks set to be focused on security, according to local media reports.

Notably, Egypt is a major buyer of French military equipment with orders worth more than 5.0 billion euros (5.8 billion dollars) since 2015 including for 24 Rafale fighter jets.

"President Macron should refuse to continue France's disgraceful policies of indulgence toward al-Sisi's repressive government," Human Rights Watch (HRW) France director Benedicte Jeannerod said in a statement.

On that note, Rights groups have repeatedly accused former army chief and now President al-Sisi of repressive policies that stifle dissent in the media and politics, as well as the use of torture by security forces. ANI