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Egypt's civil society under attack

Civil society was under attack recently in Egypt, when security forces invaded the Cairo offices of local and international NGOs. In this op-ed for...

Civil society was under attack recently in Egypt, when security forces invaded the Cairo offices of local and international NGOs. In this op-ed for the Washington Post, Freedom House president David Kramer clearly outlines the high stakes in Egypt during their third round of elections and their transition from the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. Since the Bush Institute’s Human Freedom and Women’s Initiatives began, both have worked closely with organizations that support the growth of civil society and the inclusion of women and other minority groups in countries transitioning away from dictatorships and towards democracy. Kramer illustrates how fragile Egypt is right now. Democracy not only requires participation of its citizens, it requires respect of those citizens’ rights. As Kramer correctly points out, the recent NGO raids are a troubling sign, and we must stand strong with Egypt’s freedom advocates against further repression and intimidation. Read the article »