Solidarity stand for political prisoners at COP27
Photo credits: Marina Makary
Several activists and attendees dressed in white on Thursday, 10 November, at the 2022 United Nations Climate Conference (COP27).
The movement followed an invitation made by Hossam Bahgat, Executive Director of the Egyptian Initiative for Human Rights (EIPR) on Tuesday, 8 November, where he called on COP27 attendees to wear white in solidarity with Egyptian political prisoners.
If you’re at #COP27 Thurs 10 Nov please wear a white shirt or scarf in solidarity with Egyptian political prisoners. Whether you represent a government, organization or company we need you to show your support. Post photos/videos/messages using hashtag #FreeThemAll kindly RT
— hossam bahgat حسام بهجت (@hossambahgat) November 9, 2022
The gathering, which took place on ground away from the protests zone, began as a solidarity stand, and continued with protests demanding freedom for political prisoners in Egypt.
The movement urged individuals to post photos and videos using the hashtag #FreeThemAll.
Protests for political prisoners at COP27
Photo credits: Marina Makary
A number of activists and journalists joined the call to wear white, including Mona Seif, an Egyptian activist and Alaa Abdelfattah’s sister, Zeynep Tufekci, a columnist and professor, Michelle Dunne, former US diplomat, and the Egyptian Front for Human Rights, a Czech organization.
A call to wear white tomorrow at #Cop27 in a show of solidarity to Egyptian prisoners #FreeThemAll #FreeAlaa https://t.co/5Y23P8gQPX
— Mona Seif (@Monasosh) November 8, 2022
Two days after the inauguration of COP27 in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh, several Egyptian activists started to campaign for Egyptian-British jailed activist Alaa Abdelfattah’s release, among other prisoners.
In the weeks leading up to COP27, several international news outlets had criticized Egypt for the situation of political prisoners. Climate activists like Greta Thunberg decided to skip the “greenwashing climate conference” and signed a petition calling on Egyptian authorities to release political prisoners.
In response, a counter online petition was directed at the Secretary General of the United Nations to “stop the misuse of COP27”.
“The signatories of this statement were surprised that there are some international groups and organizations that seek to hijack the conference, distance it from its real goals, and use it to serve goals that have nothing to do with environmental issues, the dangers of climate change, or the rules and traditions of the international conferences,” the petition said.
The petition has received more than 3,000 signatures thus far.
The post Protesters at COP27 Wear White in Solidarity with Political Prisoners first appeared on Egyptian Streets.
Source: egyptianstreets
