WASHINGTON — A group of US senators is urging the Biden administration to withhold a fraction of Egypt’s annual military assistance over human rights concerns. 

“Egypt’s human rights record has continued to deteriorate, despite the Egyptian government’s claims to the contrary,” read a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent Friday led by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and 10 other liberal senators, among them Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

At roughly $1.3 billion, Egypt is the second-largest recipient of US foreign military financing after Israel. For fiscal year 2022, Congress has conditioned $320 million of that assistance on the North African country meeting certain human rights benchmarks. 

Of that funding, $235 million is tied to Egypt taking “sustained and effective steps” on issues including the rule of law, women’s rights and protecting fundamental freedoms. The remaining $85 million is tied to the Egyptian government making “clear and consistent progress” in releasing political prisoners, providing detainees with due process of law and preventing the intimidation and harassment of American citizens.