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Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (picture from January 2019)
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LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi lifted the state of emergency nationwide after four and a half years.
Egypt was "thanks to its great people and loyal men an oasis of security and stability in the region," wrote the head of state on Monday on Twitter.
Al-Sisi declared a state of emergency on April 10, 2017.
It was triggered by attacks by the terrorist militia "Islamic State" (IS) on two churches.
Around 50 people were killed and more than 110 injured in the attacks in the northern Egyptian city of Tanta and the port city of Alexandria on the country's Coptic minority.
The IS had claimed the act for itself.
Criticism from human rights groups
In a state of emergency, the authorities have the option of censoring or prohibiting the media or organization, tapping communications and restricting the freedom of movement of the population.
Human rights groups criticized the increase in power for security forces and authorities.
The country had since extended the state of emergency at three-month intervals.
Human rights activists have been accusing his government for years of persecuting and imprisoning critics for no reason.
Journalists have also been targeted, dozens have been detained and some have been expelled from the country.
ngo / dpa / Reuters