Last week we saw the Egyptian police throw tear gas at protesters. Little did we know that those canisters were "Made in the USA."
As everyday life begins to resume in Egypt, there are lingering questions about what happened, how it happened, and what's next. A Congressional committee is tackling some of these questions tomorrow in the first hearing since the protests. Help us make sure questions about human rights are at the top of the agenda.
For example:
Why did the State Department approve the sale of tear gas to Egyptian police despite the fact that the State Department itself had documented the state police's history of brutality and abuse?
We've put together our list of questions to the U.S. government. Help us get them asked. Send questions to the committee holding the hearing.
The United States has given billions of dollars in military aid to Egypt over the decades. The State Department approved the delivery of tear gas to brutal repressors. We need answers.
Given the amount of aid at stake, President Obama and U.S. policymakers have a say in what this brutal regime does next. Human Rights First is trying to make sure they keep the interest of Egyptian citizens in mind and put human rights at the heart of their decisions.
Read more about human rights in Egypt—and listen to the voices of netizens who have been calling for change.