The United States on Thursday sharply criticized Egyptian raids of non-government organizations (NGOs), including two US groups that have been monitoring the Egyptian parliamentary elections.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Washington is "deeply concerned" over the raids that targeted the US-funded International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute, among others.
"This action is inconsistent with the bilateral cooperation we have had over many years," Nuland told reporters.
"We call on the Egyptian government to immediately end the harassment of NGO staff, return all property and resolve this issue immediately," Nuland said.
She said the US ambassador in Cairo, Anne Patterson, raised her concerns with the Egyptian prime minister, and the assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs, Jeff Feltman, raised the issue with the Egyptian ambassador here.
An official statement in Cairo said more than a dozen offices belonging to local and foreign rights groups were raided as part of an investigation into alleged illicit foreign funding.
NO ARRESTS
The raids, in which no arrests were reported, came as the authorities blamed foreign-funded groups for political unrest in the country after an uprising ousted longtime president Hosni Mubarak in February.
The US-funded and Washington-based IRI said it "is dismayed and disappointed by" the raids.
"IRI has been working with Egyptians since 2005; it is ironic that even during the Mubarak era IRI was not subjected to such aggressive action," it said.
It said the raid is "confusing" because the government, backed by military rulers tasked with steering the country toward democracy, had officially asked the group to witness the parliamentary elections.
Having deployed monitors for the first two phases of elections, it said, the IRI was in the process of deploying a high-level international delegation to observe the third phase on January 3 and 4.
"IRI has worked with Egyptian political parties and civil society to share technical skills and provide information about democratic participation," the non-profit, non-partisan organization said.
"IRI does not provide monetary or material support to political parties or civil society groups in Egypt," it said.
'DEEPLY TROUBLED'
In a statement, the NDI said it is "deeply troubled" by raids on its Egyptian offices in Cairo, Alexandria and Assiut, as well as those on Egyptian and other international organizations.
The NDI, which confirmed it was helping to observe the Egyptian elections, said Egyptian police seized "NDI's equipment and documents, sealed the office, and provided no warrant or explanation for their actions."
The NDI said it "is particularly concerned that the Egyptian authorities targeted local organizations, some of which are working on observation efforts for the country's ongoing parliamentary elections."
"Cracking down on organizations whose sole purpose is to support the democratic process during Egypt's historic transition sends a disturbing signal," NDI President Kenneth Wollack said in the statement.
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