Human Rights Watch on 11 August accused Egypt’s government of trying to silence all criticism, after two of its top staff members were held at Cairo airport for 12 hours and then denied entry to the country for “security reasons.” Executive Director Kenneth Roth and Middle East and North Africa Director Sarah Leah Whitson had flown to Cairo to launch a report on the mass killings of protesters by security forces one year ago, weeks after the army removed elected President Mohamed Morsi from power. The lengthy report comes after a year-long investigation, including interviews with more than 200 witnesses to the killings in July and August of 2013. It details the conduct of government security forces in confronting protesters demanding Morsi’s reinstatement.
ERDOGAN’S PRESIDENTIAL WIN STARTS RACE FOR NEW TURKISH GOVT
Turkey’s ruling party on 11 August began deliberations on the shape of the next government after Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan secured his place in history by winning the nation’s first direct presidential election. Erdogan’s victory in Sunday’s vote takes him a step closer to the executive presidency he has long coveted for Turkey. In the coming weeks, Erdogan will for the last time chair meetings of the ruling AK Party he founded and oversee the selection of a new party leader, likely to be a future prime minister. He will be inaugurated on 28 August.