Blogger and activist Mina Fayek writes "Cognitive dissonance is defined as a state of contradiction or inconsistency between ones beliefs and actions. Recently, this term has aptly described the state of Egypt's officials."Fayek gives several examples:

- al-Sisi's talks and interviews in New York coupled with "his security forces have been reluctant to protect Copts from attacks by extremists in the neighborhood of Amreya in Alexandria."

- last year during al-Sisi's "visit to the 2014 UNGA, while he discussed "countering extremism", Egyptian security forces broke into the houses of Copts in the village of Deir Gabal al-Tayr in Minya, Upper Egypt. Hundreds of men were rounded up, and according to victims, women and children were beaten and called “infidels”. This is another clear example of the conflict between what the Egyptian regime wants people to believe and what it does."

- "This year, when asked about freedom of expression by CNN, Sisi replied: “We have unprecedented freedom of expression in Egypt. No one in Egypt can bar anyone working in media or journalism or on TV from expressing their views". This came a few days after the Aljazeera journalists were pardoned after having been sentenced to three years in prison on flimsy, absurd evidence."

- "Egyptian rights groups were quick to respond to Sisi's claims by stating that there are currently 60 journalists behind bars. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) counts at least 18 journalists imprisoned in Egypt. The Egyptian Press syndicate said the number of detained journalists has in fact jumped from 22 at the beginning of this year to 35 last August."

- "At the beginning of his rule, Sisi met a group of young techies and entrepreneurs, including some friends and work colleagues. They expressed ideas and projects that could benefit the country in fields such as education, e-commerce, etc. The meeting was widely touted by Egyptian media as the beginning of a new era between the regime and the country’s youth and the attendees were told that the government would support their ambitions. My friends were never contacted again and their projects were either put on hold or carried out of their own accord. One can safely assume that it was a publicity stunt."

Cornelis Hulsman: each of Mina Fayek's statements needs to be read with caution:

-Copts were not attacked by "extremists" but by a Muslim family claiming the same piece of land as a Christian family. That is a land dispute and the word "extremists" is utterly misplaced in this context. Was the police "reluctant" to protect this Coptic family? I wouldn't know and I would not know how Mina Fayek would be able to know this. Based on past reporting I would be extremely cautious with claims made by various activists and I would rather investigate such a tense situation myself as I have done extensively with another land conflict: that around the monastery of Abu Fana in 2008-2009. 

- I have visited Deir Gabal al-Tayr on many occasions and asked a local priest but it seems that reporting was inflated. It would be pleasant if reporting would be more fact based and less emotional. Fact based means that claims that involved people, who are naturally emotional, make need to be checked. That costs time and this is what most activists and media do not want to spend on a story.

- I find the statement of President al-Sisi on "unprecedented freedom of expression in Egypt" exaggerated but I would not claim that evidence was flimsy and absurd without seeing this first. I am impressed by the work done by iMediaEthics on the al-Jazeera case. Their work at least suggests that Al Jazeera has made major mistakes.

- Egyptian Rights groups (Fayek writes in plural!) stated that there are currently 60 journalists behind bars? I have seen ONE organization claiming this. Other organizations provide different numbers.

Mina Fayek is indeed an activist and thus precision in reporting is less a concern then the wider goal who wants to achieve with his reporting. But precisely this should make one careful about claims made by many activists.