EGY 002 / 0617 / OBS 070
Arbitrary detention / Release on bail
Judicial harassment
Egypt
June 26, 2017
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the FIDH, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Egypt.
Description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the arbitrary arrest, detention, release on bail and judicial harassment of Ms. Esraa Fehead, Founder and Executive Director of Horeya for Human Rights Organization in Port Said and a member of the Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in MENA as well as of Mr. Mahmoud Naguib, a former member of the April 6 Youth Movement [1].
According to the information received, on June 14, 2017, Ms. Fehead was arrested in front of the Governorate Administration Building in Port Said, at the same time as Mr. Mahmoud Naguib. They were bothheld in detention and Ms. Fehead was interrogated by the Port Said Prosecution from June 15 to June 18, 2017. She was subsequently charged with numerous offenses including:“inciting demonstrations”, “disrupting public and general security”, “disrupting production and citizens’ welfare”, “affecting public governmental facilities”, “blocking roads and transportation”, “disrupting traffic”, “attacking people and private and public possessions, and subjecting them to danger”.
On June 18, 2017, Ms. Fehead and Mr. Naguib were released on a bail of EGP 10000 (approx. 495 EUR).
Their arrests coincide with the June 14, 2017, peaceful protests opposing the transfer of Tiran and Sanafir Islands to Saudi Arabia [2], that have resulted in the arrest of 60 activists throughout the country [3], including Ms. Fafead and Mr. Naguib. Many of those arrested were forcibly removed from the street or their homes, while security forces used excessive force to disperse demonstrators.
The Observatory condemns the arbitrary detention of Ms. Fehead and Mr. Naguib, as they appeared to be linked to their human rights activities, and consequently urges Egyptian authorities to immediately and unconditionally drop the charges against Ms. Fehead and Mr. Mahmoud Naguib.
The Observatory voices its growing concern over the excessive use force and arbitrary arrests against human rights defenders exercising their freedoms of speech and peaceful assembly.
Actions Requested:
Please write to Egyptian authorities asking them to:
i. Immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Ms. Fehead and Mr. Naguib as well as all human rights defenders in Egypt;
ii. Putan end to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Ms. Fehead and Mr. Mahmoud Naguib as well as against all human rights defenders in Egypt;
iii. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially Articles 1, 6(c) and 12.2;
iv. More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Egypt.
Addresses:
· President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Fax: +202 2391 1441
Email: p.spokesman@op.gov.eg, Twitter: @AlsisiOfficial
· Prime Minister, Mr. Sherif Ismail. Fax: + 202 2735 6449 / 27958016.
· Minister of the Interior, Mr. Magdi Abdel-Ghaffar, Fax: +202 2579 2031 / 2794 5529
· Minister of Justice, Mohamed Hossam Abdel-Rahim, Fax: +202 2795 8103
· Minister of Social Solidarity, Ghada Waly, Fax: +202 3337 5390
· Public Prosecutor, Counsellor Nabeel Sadek, Fax: +202 2577 4716
· Mr. Mohamed Fayeq, President of the National Council For Human Rights, Fax: + 202 25747497 / 25747670. Email: nchr@nchr.org.eg
· H.E. Ms. Wafaa Bassim, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations in Geneva, Email: mission.egypt@ties.itu.int, Fax: +41 22 738 44 15
· Embassy of Egypt in Brussels, Fax: +32 2 675.58.88; Email: embassy.egypt@skynet.be
Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassies of Egypt in your respective country.
Geneva-Paris, June 26, 2017
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH. The objective of this programme is to intervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rights defenders. OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
· E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80
· Tel and fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29