"Attenders say actions of Egyptian authorities are threatening their participation at conference"

"Members of civil society attending Cop27 have described how surveillance and intimidation by the Egyptian authorities is threatening their participation in the climate conference.

Problems reported by attenders include overt surveillance, control of their meetings by conference staff and problems with accommodation.

International civil society participants, all of whom requested anonymity for their protection, told the Guardian how uniformed or plainclothes conference staff supposedly on hand to provide security, technical, or cleaning assistance to delegates, seemed preoccupied with surveilling them and controlling their activities rather than providing support.

“Just talking about the word activism means you are very quickly surrounded by people eavesdropping on you,” said one. Conference staff, he said, repeatedly surrounded civil society delegates to create an atmosphere of discomfort if they mentioned the word activism in conversation, or tried to discuss it with colleagues."

Ruth Michaelson and Oliver Milman report for the Guardian November 10, 2022. [2]