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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi travels to Berlin on Tuesday, where German leaders are ready to roll out the red carpet for the ex-general despite his government's abysmal human rights record, The Associated Press reports.

The trip, a first state visit long desired by the former army chief, will see him meet Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauck, who as an activist played a prominent role in ending repressive Communist rule in East Germany. El-Sissi will also meet corporate leaders at a business conference Thursday.

El-Sissi's office said he seeks to boost economic, military and security cooperation, and highlighted 4.4 billion euros ($4.8 billion) in bilateral trade last year. Germany's Siemens AG has made the largest single commitment so far to Egypt under el-Sissi's yearlong rule — a 10 billion euro agreement to build power plants.

Human rights groups on Tuesday urged Merkel to link closer ties to Egypt addressing pervasive violations.

"Germany should continue to freeze transfers of arms and security-related items that can be used for repression until Egypt investigates and brings to justice the security forces responsible for unlawful killings of hundreds of protesters," read a joint letter by five groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.