Fifty international organizations called on US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to stop sending aid to Egypt. They called it an “illegal” act, as the United States has local and international commitments not to provide aid to those who violate basic human rights. They cited violence used by the Egyptian security forces against peaceful demonstrators and journalists in the 25 January revolution. The New York based National Lawyers Guild on Tuesday wrote to the US State Department requesting that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak step down immediately for the sake of democracy and social justice in Egypt. The letter also stated that “the US Foreign Assistance Act prohibits assistance to any country engaged in a pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.” The organizations noted that President Mubarak's regime also targeted defenders of human rights, such as the Hisham Mubarak Center, and cut off communications in the country. They expressed opposition to the appointment of Omar Suleiman as vice-president, given his role in perpetuating the regime's practice of torture and repression. The letter called on the United States to issue an “unequivocal” statement that supports the right of the Egyptian people to determine their future and the fate of their country. It demanded an end to all overt and covert assistance to Egypt, an end to interference in Egypt's internal affairs, and the beginning of an independent investigation of US officials supporting Mubarak's regime. The letter was signed by the National Association for Change, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, the United National Anti-War Committee, the Peace and Freedom Party in California and the Center for Constitutional Rights.
