The White House on Monday expressed concern about what it called setbacks on press freedom and civil society in Egypt .
"We are deeply concerned at the Egyptian Government's recent decree authorizing the imminent closure of the Association for Human Rights Legal Aid, a human rights NGO (non-governmental organization), as well as the conviction and sentencing of several newspaper editors," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in a statement. "These latest decisions appear to contradict the Egyptian government's stated commitment to expand democratic rights," she said. (Reuters)