Senior US Senator Bernie Sanders on his Twitter account called on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to respect the right of Egyptians to demonstrate, calling on his government to pay attention to the human rights file in Egypt.
Sanders began his tweet by referring to reports in some US newspapers that President Donald Trump had previously called Sisi his favorite dictator.
Sanders said the United States should stand up for human rights, especially with governments receiving large US aid such as Egypt.
The former presidential candidate added that everyone has the right to demonstrate for a better future, and that Sisi should respect this right.
Ten days ago, the Wall Street Journal reported an incident at a Group of Seven summit in Paris last month, when Trump was waiting for a meeting with Sisi. He looked at a gathering of Egyptian and US officials and shouted, "Where is my favorite dictator?"
Witnesses said they believed Trump had made the comment jokingly, but said his question had been met with complete silence. The newspaper could not confirm whether Sisi was present at the time.
In conjunction with demonstrations calling for the fall of Sisi in several Egyptian cities, dozens of Egyptians demonstrated two days ago in front of the residence of Sisi in New York City, where he participates in the work of the United Nations General Assembly, while a number of supporters gathered in the same place and chanted slogans praising him.
At the same time, citizens of the Egyptian community in Washington staged a vigil in front of the White House to denounce Sisi, and protesters demanded that Trump stop his support for Sisi.