Egypt deputy FM slams 'polarization' in UNHCR

Egypt's deputy foreign minister on Tuesday criticized what he called a "polarization" in the United Nations' Human Rights Council (UNHCR).

Alaa Roushdi made the remarks in an online meeting of the United Nations' top human rights body.

He said that some unnamed members had used the forum to "impose controversial views and understandings, and to exchange accusations based on shadowy unverified information."

Egypt's government has faced criticism for its human rights record by UN bodies and members of the council, for its detention and persecution of political dissidents, and the alleged use of torture against detainees.

Human Rights Watch estimated in 2019 that there were 60,000 political prisoners in Egypt.

The Committee to Protect Journalists ranks Egypt third, behind China and Turkey, in detaining journalists.

The country's president, Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi, maintains that it has no political prisoners and that its widespread crackdown is aimed at fighting terrorism.

However, those in prison include civil society members, rights workers and political activists, many on terror charges, for breaking a ban on protests or for disseminating false news.

Others remain in indefinite pretrial detentions.