Amnesty criticises arrest of football fans before #AFCON2019 opener

Published Jun 20, 2019

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Cairo - The rights organization Amnesty International has

criticized the arrest of several football fans in Egypt before

Friday's opening game of the African Cup of Nations.

In recent weeks more than 30 Egyptian fans have been arrested in

connection with terror offences, Amnesty researcher Hussein Baoumi

told dpa.

People are often not charged but it is believed to be a way of

keeping activists off the streets and away from stadiums as Egypt

hosts the continental tournament.

Fans from football's ultra scene were involved during the

demonstrations in the 2010-11 Arab Spring uprisings but after 2012

disturbances, and the deaths of more than 70 in a Port Said stadium,

authorities have cracked down on supporters.

Security measures have been increased while there have been recent

terror attacks in Cairo.

Egypt stepped in to host the Africa Cup after Cameroon was stripped

of the competition for safety and construction reasons. They play

Zimbabwe in Friday's opener in the Cairo International Stadium, which

also hosts the July 19 final.

dpa

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