Egyptian authorities close 2 libraries: Rights activist

By Rabie al-Sukkari

CAIRO (AA) – Prominent lawyer and human rights activist Gamal Eid has accused the Egyptian authorities of closing two of his libraries.

"The authorities shut two of my libraries in Cairo today," Eid told Anadolu Agency on Thursday evening.

Eid, the head of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, a Cairo-based NGO, owns and runs a chain of not-for-profit libraries located across Egypt.

In mid-September, an Egyptian court ordered that Eid’s assets -- and those of four other activists -- be frozen.

The court also prohibited the five individuals from leaving the country amid accusations that their activities were being funded by foreign donors, which is illegal under Egyptian law.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Eid ruled out any link between the earlier foreign funding accusations and the recent closure of his libraries.

Eid’s "Al-Karama" library chain was established after the prominent rights activist won the Roland Berger Award for Human Dignity in 2011.

When he received the award -- along with one million euros -- Eid vowed to put the money towards opening libraries for children in poor areas of Egypt.

Cairo has faced mounting criticism of its human rights record under President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi -- criticisms the authorities reject claiming they support freedom of speech and judicial independence.

The Egyptian authorities have yet to comment on the reported closure of Eid’s two libraries.