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Version 1 Version 2
Egypt Says American Scholar Was Refused Entry Over Lack of Proper Visa Egypt Says It Rejected American Over Visa
(about 11 hours later)
CAIRO — The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday night that the American scholar Michele Dunne had been turned away at Cairo’s airport for trying to enter Egypt without a proper visa, contradicting her account of her expulsion and the reports of several Egyptian news outlets. CAIRO — The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday night that the American scholar Michele Dunne had been turned away at Cairo’s airport for trying to enter Egypt without a proper visa, contradicting her account of her expulsion and the reports of several Egyptian news outlets.
Ms. Dunne, a senior associate in the Middle East program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who worked for 17 years as an American diplomat, has criticized Egypt’s military-backed government and questioned the $1.3 billion in annual American military aid to the country. Her rejection at the airport attracted extensive attention in Washington as possible evidence of an escalation in the crackdown on dissent here since the military takeover almost 18 months ago.Ms. Dunne, a senior associate in the Middle East program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who worked for 17 years as an American diplomat, has criticized Egypt’s military-backed government and questioned the $1.3 billion in annual American military aid to the country. Her rejection at the airport attracted extensive attention in Washington as possible evidence of an escalation in the crackdown on dissent here since the military takeover almost 18 months ago.
Ms. Dunne said in an interview on Saturday that security officials at the airport had told her she could no longer enter Egypt but had declined to explain why. Several Egyptian news reports said that Egyptian security agencies had expelled her for unspecified reasons of national security.Ms. Dunne said in an interview on Saturday that security officials at the airport had told her she could no longer enter Egypt but had declined to explain why. Several Egyptian news reports said that Egyptian security agencies had expelled her for unspecified reasons of national security.
In an interview on Monday, however, Badr Abdelatty, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said Ms. Dunne had been denied entry only because she had tried to obtain a tourist visa to attend a conference. He said she would be welcome to return regardless of her views. “We are only talking about respecting regulations,” he said. However, in an interview on Monday, Badr Abdelatty, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said Ms. Dunne had been denied entry only because she had tried to obtain a tourist visa to attend a conference. He said she would be welcome to return regardless of her views. “We are only talking about respecting regulations,” he said.
It was unclear why the authorities had singled out Ms. Dunne. United States citizens can normally obtain a tourist visa at the Cairo airport and enter Egypt without difficulty. Visiting scholars and journalists routinely use those visas to conduct research or to attend meetings in Egypt. In an email, Ms. Dunne said her current passport contained 15 visas she had previously obtained that way.It was unclear why the authorities had singled out Ms. Dunne. United States citizens can normally obtain a tourist visa at the Cairo airport and enter Egypt without difficulty. Visiting scholars and journalists routinely use those visas to conduct research or to attend meetings in Egypt. In an email, Ms. Dunne said her current passport contained 15 visas she had previously obtained that way.
Mr. Abdelatty of the Foreign Ministry said, however, that visitors conducting research or attending conferences should not have been allowed to enter Egypt on tourist visas obtained at the airport. “If it happened before, that was a mistake, so we should apply the rule of law,” he said. Mr. Abdelatty said, however, that visitors conducting research or attending conferences should not have been allowed to enter Egypt on tourist visas obtained at the airport. “If it happened before, that was a mistake, so we should apply the rule of law,” he said.
The Foreign Ministry’s statement said Ms. Dunne had “decided to travel to Egypt even though she knows visas on arrival are only granted to tourists.” She had traveled to Cairo to attend a foreign affairs conference endorsed by the Egyptian government and organized by a pro-government group.The Foreign Ministry’s statement said Ms. Dunne had “decided to travel to Egypt even though she knows visas on arrival are only granted to tourists.” She had traveled to Cairo to attend a foreign affairs conference endorsed by the Egyptian government and organized by a pro-government group.