US defers award to Egyptian activist for anti-Semitic remarks
9 March 2013 7:28 AM IST
The United States has announced to defer International Women of Courage award to an Egyptian activist following the ‘anti-American’ and ‘anti-Semitic’ comments discovered on her Twitter account.
Samira Ibrahim was to be one of the 10 recipients of the award along with nine other recipients including ‘Nirbhaya’, the Delhi gang rape victim.
‘We became aware very late in the process about Samira Ibrahim’s alleged public comments. After careful consideration, we've decided that we should defer presenting this award to Ibrahim this year so that we have a chance to look further into these statements,’ the State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said on Thursday.
‘I would say that in conversations with us in the last 24 hours, Ibrahim has categorically denied authorship. She asserts that her twitter account was hacked. But we need some time to conduct our review,’ Nuland said.
The awards would be presented at a ceremony presided over by the US First Lady Michelle Obama and the Secretary of State John Kerry. Nuland explained that the US initially selected Ibrahim because of the incredible bravery and courage she displayed at the time of the Tahrir Square protests.
‘Ibrahim was detained, subject to real police violence. Not only did she speak out about that, but she also became a real leader in her country in trying to address gender-based violence and other human rights abuses. So it was on that basis that she was initially selected, but these comments need to be looked into,’ the US official said.
Samira Ibrahim was to be one of the 10 recipients of the award along with nine other recipients including ‘Nirbhaya’, the Delhi gang rape victim.
‘We became aware very late in the process about Samira Ibrahim’s alleged public comments. After careful consideration, we've decided that we should defer presenting this award to Ibrahim this year so that we have a chance to look further into these statements,’ the State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said on Thursday.
‘I would say that in conversations with us in the last 24 hours, Ibrahim has categorically denied authorship. She asserts that her twitter account was hacked. But we need some time to conduct our review,’ Nuland said.
The awards would be presented at a ceremony presided over by the US First Lady Michelle Obama and the Secretary of State John Kerry. Nuland explained that the US initially selected Ibrahim because of the incredible bravery and courage she displayed at the time of the Tahrir Square protests.
‘Ibrahim was detained, subject to real police violence. Not only did she speak out about that, but she also became a real leader in her country in trying to address gender-based violence and other human rights abuses. So it was on that basis that she was initially selected, but these comments need to be looked into,’ the US official said.
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