CAIRO: Egypt denied entry to a prominent American scholar arriving at Cairo’s international airport Saturday, the latest incident in the country’s sweeping crackdown on dissent.

Michele Dunne, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a former US diplomat, had accepted an invitation to speak at a conference organized by the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, made up primarily of former Egyptian diplomats.

In her work, Dunne is frequently critical of the Egyptian government.

From Frankfurt, Germany, she said on Twitter that some Egyptians complain she doesn’t pay enough attention to pro-government views. But “when I accept invite to (conference) of pro (government) group they deny me entry. Go figure.”

Airport authorities say Dunne’s name appeared on a no-entry list prepared by security officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

Last August Human Rights Watch executive director Ken Roth and regional director Sarah Leah Whitson were also denied entry to Egypt ahead of the publication of a report accusing the government of possible crimes against humanity.

Since President Muhammad Mursi was overthrown last year, the Muslim Brotherhood group has been branded a terrorist organization. Its members have been imprisoned, detained and killed in a crackdown conducted under the banner of “combating terrorism.”

The crackdown has extended to liberal and leftist critics of the government. Over 20,000 people have been arrested since Mursi’s ouster last year.

Meanwhile, one man was killed Friday when protesters and security forces clashed in northern Egypt.

“The clashes took place between dozens of members of the Muslim Brotherhood and security forces who intervened with tear gas after they cut a coast road,” the source said.