Macron grants the Legion of Honor to al-Sisi. But the Elysee keeps the news hidden

It had to be a meeting in which to raise the delicate question of respect for human rights in Egypt, but the trip of the Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in France, it quickly became an evening honoring the authoritarian leader of Cairo. Culminating with the gala event organized for the night of December 7, during which Emmanuel macron gave the Egyptian president the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor of the French Republic, the highest honor of the country.

Military honors, gala night, but all strictly Secret saved dall’entourage dell ‘Elysium who did not want to make the recognition public. The reporter took care of that Yann Barthes during transmission Diary from Rmc who complained about the secrecy of the operation: “For the first time we had to go to the website of an authoritarian regime to find out what is happening in the Elysee,” said Barthes, presenting the video of the delivery. Barthes himself then specified that “this is an honor bestowed on all presidents on a state visit to France.”

There was expectation, on December 7, for the developments that should have emerged from the bilateral meeting between the two heads of state, especially after Macron’s promise to address the issue of respect for human rights, with thousands of political opponents and members. of non-governmental organizations remain incarcerated without due process in Egyptian prisons. But during the joint press conference, the head of the Elysee limited himself to saying that there are “disagreements” between France and Egypt on the issue of “human rights”. But nevertheless, “I would not condition our cooperation on defending, Ahead economic matter, to these disagreements. “And then he said he was a” promoter of democratic openness “and” a dynamic and active civil society “, hailing the recent liberation by Cairo of” three members of the NGO. ” Eipr, the same for which he collaborates Patrick Zaki |.