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January 15, 2020

American Citizen Moustafa Kassem Dies in Egyptian Prison After Hunger Strike
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An American citizen has died in an Egyptian prison after a series of
lengthy hunger strikes protesting his imprisonment. Moustafa Kassem was
arrested in 2013 amid a massive crackdown following Abdel Fattah
el-Sisi's military takeover of Egypt. Kassem said he had no links to
politics or opposition groups, but he was sentenced to 15 years in
prison on political charges he said were false. He died on Monday. Egypt
is the second-largest recipient of U.S. military aid, after Israel.
President Trump has frequently praised Egyptian leader el-Sisi, even as
he has imprisoned tens of thousands of people on political charges since
2013.


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