The money, which is subject to a waiver if required reforms are not carried out, was to have been paid by President Joe Biden’s administration after Egypt released 500 political prisoners.

But with thousands of others still in jail, US senator Patrick Leahy, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, insisted Egypt needed to do more to improve what he called the “deplorable” situation facing its political prisoners.

The US allocates around $1.3bn in aid to Egypt annually, much of which has no conditions attached.