Actress Helen Hunt criticised for appearing at forum organised by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
Regime has jailed journalists for doing their jobs and gays for coming out, activists wrote
Egyptian activists have sent Hollywood actress Helen Hunt an open letter denouncing her participation in a forum organised by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is accused of human rights violations.
“As you shake hands with Sisi, smile, take a photo, let history note that you chose to support a dictator responsible for thousands of deaths, arbitrary detentions and disappearances,” they wrote in the letter published Monday on change.org.
Among those his regime had jailed were “journalists for doing their jobs” and “gays for coming out,” they wrote, adding that Egyptian authorities had blocked more than 400 websites and media outlets.
Over 100 people signed the letter to protest Hunt’s involvement in the World Youth Forum, including human rights activists Mona Seif, Azza Soliman and Mohamed Zaree.
Around 3,000 people were set to attend the forum, a week-long gathering in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh that ends on Sunday.
