US denounces Egypt's new anti-terror law

WASHINGTON - The United States denounced Egypt's newly expanded counterterrorism law Tuesday, expressing concern about its potential impact on human rights in the country, a military ally of the US.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi signed a law on Sunday that would expand the government's surveillance powers and, according to critics, muzzle dissent and target critics.

Human rights activists have accused Sisi of leading an increasingly repressive government.

"We are concerned that some measures in Egypt's new anti-terrorism law could have a significant detrimental impact on human rights and fundamental freedoms," State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

But Kirby reaffirmed that Washington stands with Egypt in its fight against terror.

He also echoed comments made by Secretary of State John Kerry at a strategic dialogue in Cairo earlier this month, where Kerry called for finding an equilibrium between counterterrorism and preserving human rights.

"Defeating terrorism requires a long-term, comprehensive strategy that builds trust between the authorities and the public, including by enabling those who disagree with the government's policies to express those views peacefully and through participation in the political process," Kirby added.

Mohamed Fahmy, an Egyptian-Canadian journalist who was jailed for over a year in Egypt, said on Monday that the new law would surely mean more bad news journalists in the country.

"It's very clear that if you [journalists] don't toe the government line, you will be prosecuted," Fahmy told the Canadian Press.

"It's not just an Egyptian issue now. It's a global epidemic where journalists and civil liberties are being sidelined and democracy is taking a secondary place in order to champion this so-called 'war on terror,'" he said.

The new law defines terrorism broadly as "any act that disturbs public order with force".

The law comes amid a string of attacks on military and police by the Sinai Province, the local affiliate of the group Islamic State (IS), and amid heavy crackdowns by the state against political dissenters.

After a tumultuous few months, Washington and Cairo appear to have patched things up with the resumption of US military assistance in March, to the tune of $1.3bn per year.