Articles for Egypt

Today, Alkarama submitted its report in view of the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Egypt, which will take place during the UPR Working Group's 20th session in October-November 2014. This review aims to assess the human rights record of all United Nations Member States every four years.

The trial of Amro El-Qazaz and Islam El Homsy, two Egyptian journalists working for the online news outlet "Rassd" (the monitor), opened today before the Misdemeanour Military Court of North Cairo. This is the first referral of civilians to a military court since the new Egyptian constitution entered into force on 18 January 2014. "We are very concerned by the current persecution against journalists and the use of military courts to clamp down on individuals lawfully exercising their rights under international law", said Alkarama.

On 24 and 25 January, 106 demonstrators and bystanders were unlawfully killed in Egypt when the police and army used excessive force to quell protests against the Egyptian government. Most of the deaths occurred on 25 January 2014, which marked the third anniversary of the Egyptian revolution. Alkarama again urges the Egyptian authorities to respect the right to peaceful protest, as they are bound to do under international law, and prevent arrests and extrajudicial killings of peaceful protestors.

Thirteen Egyptian and international human rights organizations called on the Egyptian authorities today, on international Human Rights Day, to acknowledge, and seriously and thoroughly investigate the killing of up to 1,000 people by security forces dispersing Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins on August 14, 2013.

Alkarama today condemns a further Egyptian Minister of Justice move to hold a trial inside a prison rather than an official courthouse.

The 3 November hearing of 13 women was held in the infamous Damanhour prison, rather than in the misdemeanor appeal court of Sida Jaber as it was scheduled to be held, following the issuance of Minister of Justice decision No. 7587.

Alkarama is deeply concerned by the draft law on the "Organization of the Right to Public Assembly, Processions and Peaceful Demonstrations in Public Places" – known as 'the Demonstration Law' - which falls short of Egypt's international human rights obligations regarding the right to assembly.