Freedom of expression in Egypt - Amjad Bashir MEP
Summary
TLDRThe speaker recounts a visit to Egypt before the Arab Spring, noting the stark contrast with the current state of unrest. They express concern over the military's role in suppressing peaceful demonstrations for democracy and freedom, resulting in deaths and detentions. The speaker calls for respect for the people's will and urges the British Foreign Minister to condemn the treatment of innocent Egyptians engaged in peaceful protests, emphasizing the importance of democratic principles like freedom of expression and the right to assemble.
Takeaways
- 🌍 The speaker and their spouse visited Egypt before the Arab Spring, experiencing a time of happiness and safety among the Egyptian people.
- 📉 The situation in Egypt has deteriorated since the Arab Spring, with a decline in the quality of life for ordinary citizens.
- 🗣️ The Arab Spring brought forth peaceful demonstrations in Tahrir Square, expressing desires for democracy and freedom.
- 🛡️ The military dictatorship in Egypt has suppressed these democratic aspirations, resulting in significant loss of life and mass detentions.
- 🏛️ The role of the army, as per the speaker, should be to protect the nation, not to harm its own people.
- 🏢 Recent legal actions have seen harsh sentences, including life imprisonment and death sentences, handed down to protesters.
- 🗳️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of respecting the will of the people and criticizes instances where democratic outcomes have been ignored.
- 🇪🇺 The speaker cites examples of democratic decisions being overridden, such as the Danish referendum on the Maastricht Treaty and the rejections of the EU constitution by France and the Netherlands.
- 📬 The speaker intends to address the British Foreign Minister, urging strong condemnation of the treatment of peaceful Egyptian protesters.
- 🌟 The speaker hopes this will be an early achievement for the new minister, highlighting the importance of democratic principles, especially freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly.
- 🕊️ The closing remarks by the speaker advocate for respect for democratic principles and peaceful protest, ending with a note of admiration for the courage of the Egyptian people.
Q & A
What was the speaker's experience in Egypt before the Arab Spring?
-The speaker and their spouse visited Egypt before the Arab Spring and had a wonderful time, noting that the people seemed happy and content, and they were able to travel safely.
How has the situation in Egypt changed since the Arab Spring according to the speaker?
-The situation in Egypt has changed for the worse, with the speaker highlighting that ordinary Egyptians are now denied the opportunity to earn a decent living.
What freedoms were expressed during the peaceful demonstrations in Tahrir Square?
-The freedoms expressed during the peaceful demonstrations in Tahrir Square were democracy and freedom.
How did the military dictatorship respond to the peaceful demonstrations for democracy and freedom?
-The military dictatorship crushed the hopes of the demonstrators, killing almost 72 people in a single day and leading to thousands of detentions.
What is the speaker's view on the role of the army in relation to its citizens?
-The speaker believes that the role of the army is to defend the nation, not to kill its own citizens.
What recent legal actions were mentioned in the script regarding the treatment of protesters?
-The script mentions that 46 life sentences and 10 death sentences were handed down, with several more court cases pending.
What was the outcome for the supporters of the previously democratically elected government?
-Supporters of the previously democratically elected government were sentenced to three years each of imprisonment.
What is the speaker's stance on respecting the will of the people?
-The speaker emphasizes the importance of respecting the will of the people, knowing that Parliament does not always support democracy.
Can you provide an example of when the Parliament did not support democracy as mentioned by the speaker?
-The speaker cites the Danish referendum on the Maastricht Treaty being ignored and the French and Dutch rejections of the EU constitution being swept aside as examples of Parliament not supporting democracy.
What action does the speaker intend to take regarding the treatment of Egyptians engaged in peaceful demonstrations?
-The speaker intends to write to the British Foreign Minister to urge him to express the strongest terms of disgust at the treatment of innocent Egyptians engaged in peaceful demonstrations.
What democratic principles does the speaker hope will be respected in the treatment of protesters?
-The speaker hopes that democratic principles, especially freedom of expression and the right to assemble peacefully, will be respected.
Outlines
😔 The Impact of the Arab Spring on Egypt
The speaker reflects on a personal experience of visiting Egypt before the Arab Spring, noting the stark contrast to the current situation. The Arab Spring brought hope for democracy and freedom, as demonstrated by the peaceful protests in Tahrir Square. However, these aspirations were crushed by a military dictatorship, resulting in the tragic loss of life and mass detentions. The speaker emphasizes the importance of respecting the will of the people and criticizes the role of the army in suppressing its own citizens.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Arab Spring
💡Egypt
💡Tahrir Square
💡Military dictatorship
💡Democracy
💡Freedom of expression
💡Peaceful demonstrations
💡Detentions
💡Death sentences
💡Parliament
💡British Foreign Minister
Highlights
Visit to Egypt before the Arab Spring, describing it as a cradle of civilization and a safe travel experience.
Change in the situation in Egypt post-Arab Spring, with a decline in the quality of life for ordinary Egyptians.
Expression of the Arab Spring's impact on Egypt, the heart of the Arab world, and the peaceful demonstrations in Tahrir Square.
Militaristic response to the democratic aspirations of the Egyptian people, leading to the crushing of hopes and loss of life.
The tragic event where 72 people were killed in a single day and the subsequent mass detentions.
The inappropriate role of the army in killing its own citizens, rather than defending the nation.
Recent harsh sentences including life imprisonment and death sentences, with more cases pending.
Supporters of the democratically elected government receiving lengthy prison sentences.
The importance of respecting the will of the people and the challenges faced by Parliament in supporting democracy.
Examples of democratic decisions being ignored, such as the Danish referendum on the Maastricht Treaty.
The disregard for the rejections of the EU constitution by France and the Netherlands in the pursuit of the EU project.
The intention to address the British Foreign Minister regarding the treatment of Egyptians in peaceful demonstrations.
Hope for the new minister to uphold democratic principles, especially freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly.
The mention of 'salmon rice respectin temple de Barbier, atif adore me not' which seems to be a misheard or misspoken phrase.
Transcripts
bashiir done Jadhav it's the next
speaker two minutes for mr. Bashere
amjad dear chair before the Arab Spring
my wife and I visited Egypt one of the
cradles of civilization we are a
wonderful time and the people seemed
happy and content we were able to travel
in safety but sadly the situation has
changed for the worse there is no
denying ordinary Egyptians the sorry
this is denying ordinary Egyptians the
opportunity to earn a decent living when
the Arab Spring reached Egypt it reached
the center of the Arab world the
freedoms expressed in peaceful
demonstrations in Tahrir Square or GERD
well for democracy and freedom a
military dictatorship is remorselessly
crushed those hopes and in the process
killed almost 72 people in a single day
and led to thousands of detentions the
role of the army is to defend the nation
and not to kill their own citizens just
recently 46 life and 10 dense at death
sentences were handed down and several
more court cases are pending a hundred
and one support of us supporters of
previously democratically elected
government was sentenced to three years
each of imprisonment it is of the most
importance to respect the will of the
people i know this Parliament does not
always support democracy I site for
example the Danish referendum on the
Maastricht Treaty which was ignored the
French and Dutch rejections of the EU
constitution was swept aside as they
were pushed through the EU flagship
project with the above in mind I will be
right into the British Foreign Minister
to urge him to express
the strongest terms our disgust of the
treatment of innocent Egyptians engaged
in peaceful demonstrations I really do
hope that this would the first
achievement of the new minister the
dimeric democratic principles especially
freedom of expression and the right to
assemble in a peaceful and a certain way
salmon rice respectin temple de Barbier
atif adore me not
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