Mr Tobias Ellwood MP

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

King Charles Street

London

SW1A 2AH

Date: 19^th August 2015

Dear Tobias,

I am writing to you about the unacceptable decision to extend an official invitation to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to visit the UK.

You will no doubt be aware of Early Day Motion 279, pasted below for ease of reference:

INVITATION TO PRESIDENT EL-SISI TO VISIT UK AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN EGYPT

Session 2015 - 16

That this House is dismayed that the Prime Minister has extended an official invitation to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to visit the UK; notes that, as a member of the then ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, President el-Sisi supported the dissolution of the Egyptian parliament in 2012 and overthrew elected President Mohamed Morsi in a military coup in 2013; further notes that Mr Morsi is one of hundreds of opponents of President el-Sisi condemned to death in trials widely recognised by international human rights organisations as unfair; believes that the extension of an official invitation to President el-Sisi sends a message to the Egyptian regime that such abuses will be tolerated by the Government; is concerned that the Government continues to license the export of military and security equipment to Egypt; and calls on the Prime Minister to rescind the invitation, to put pressure on the Egyptian government to take immediate steps to demonstrate its commitment to democratic freedoms and human rights, including the revocation of all death sentences, and to stop licensing equipment for export to the Egyptian military and security forces.

http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2015-16/279

I have signed this motion as I very much share the concerns of the constituents who have contacted me about this unfair decision.  I should therefore be grateful for your response to the points made in the EDM.

Yours sincerely,