Cairo, Paris, 13 November 2024. As Egypt prepares for its fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR), NGOs denounce its near-total failure to comply with international human rights obligations
In their joint submission FIDH, CIHRS and EIPR denounce Egypt’s acknowledgement of past UPR recommendations as purely cosmetic, adopting empty measures while the human rights situation is still deteriorating. Meanwhile, Egypte has made use of and expanded its legal arsenal against human rights defenders with new abusive counter-terrorism laws, anti-foreign funding laws, and cyber criminality laws.
The submission specifically highlights four key human rights violation areas: the restriction on freedom of speech and the rights of association, the abusive detentions, the systematic use of torture, and the forced disappearances against political opponents and human rights defenders.
This submission examines the Government of Egypt’s compliance with its international human rights obligations, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the United Nations.
In its report, FIDH delivers key recommendations to Egypt:
– immediately and unconditionally release all those detained for exercising their legitimate rights, including human rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists;
– repeal the counterterrorism and terrorist entities laws and align other legislation such as the cybercrimes law with international standards;
– end all acts of harassment -including at security and judicial level- against all human rights defenders, and ensure in all circumstances that they can carry out their legitimate activities without hindrance or fear of reprisals;
– end practices of torture or ill-treatment, and guarantee access to medical care for all persons deprived of their liberty;
– hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable and ensure reparation and redress for all victims of human rights abuses.
Read the report below, in english only: