Egypt Curbs Opponents of Presidential Election

Egypt’s prosecutor-general has ordered an official investigation into a number of opposition politicians who are boycotting next month’s presidential election, as President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi looks set to extend his term. Nabil Sadeq, Egypt’s prosecutor general, said in a statement that 13 individuals may be summoned to the Giza office for “incitement against the state” and attempting to “overthrow the regime”, Al Jazeera reported. This comes as opposition parties called for a boycott of the March vote last month. Among those to be investigated is Hamdeen Sabahi, Sisi’s only rival in the 2014 presidential elections. Experts say Sisi, who is seeking his second term in office, is almost guaranteed to be reelected after he made it nearly impossible for any real political opponent to challenge his firm grip on power.