The human rights situation in Egypt

Statement of the National Council for Human Rights – Egypt

Delivered by Dr. Hossam Badrawi, member of the Council

Mr. President

In the name of the Council, I appreciate the Egyptian government for accepting 119 recommendations since the previous session to improve the human rights situation in Egypt, and for accepting, whether total or partial, in this session, 21 recommendations out of a total of 25 recommendations that were under study.

Nevertheless, on behalf of the Council, I present the following recommendations and observations:

First: Despite the government’s commitment in 2005 to end the state of emergency within two years, it was extended again for two years in 2010, which is unjustified to us.

The council appreciates the restrictions stipulated by the law to limit the scope of the emergency law’s application to crimes related to terrorism and drug trafficking. Nevertheless, the council calls for an end to the state of emergency and all the exceptional measures related to it.

Second: The Council looks forward to announcing the government the names of detainees, political activists, bloggers, and any other citizen detained in accordance with the emergency law, and releasing them all under the new legal restrictions on the application of the emergency law.

Third: The government’s announcement of its intention to abolish all legal provisions and policies that discriminate against citizens on the basis of religion is appreciated.

Nevertheless, the Council calls for expediting the activation of the principle of citizenship, by issuing the unified law for the construction and restoration of places of worship and the law on equal opportunities and the prevention of discrimination against citizens and applicants from the Council.

Fourth: The council proposed the necessary amendments to preserve the right to freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of scientific research and to reduce arbitrary lawsuits against intellectuals, scholars, writers and journalists.

The council noted the government’s acceptance of this proposal and calls for expediting the necessary measures to issue the law.

Fifth: The Council calls on the Egyptian government to agree to the four recommendations by directing an open and permanent invitation to the special commissioners to visit Egypt.

Sixth: Regarding the recommendation to amend the Law of Associations and NGOs No. 84 of 2002, the Council calls on the government to ensure the participation of the Council and NGOs in the necessary amendments to ensure freedom of association and to facilitate their access to funding as long as it is within the framework of transparency and publicity, and to cancel the administration’s right to dissolve NGOs and NGOs by an administrative decision Confirmation of limiting the solution to the optional solution or the judicial solution only.

Finally, the council stresses the utmost importance for the government to implement the recommendations it accepted without delay.

The Council intends, with the active participation of the Egyptian civil society, to monitor the implementation of the recommendations accepted by the government, and calls on the government to establish a permanent mechanism in which the Council and civil society participate, to follow up the implementation that is effective and transparent.

Mission of the National Council for Human Rights:

Counselor Moqbel Shaker: Vice-Chairman of the Council

Dr. Hossam Badrawi: Member of the Council and Rapporteur of the Universal Periodic Review Committee of the Council

Ms. Mona Zulficar, a member of the Council and a member of the Universal Periodic Review Committee of the Council

Dr. Said Dakkak: Member of the Board

Yasmine Ezz El-Din: Researcher for the Council’s Universal Periodic Review Committee