The report presents a toll of human rights violations in Egypt. [41] However, new legislation was passed in September 2016 that now grants permits to churches for rebuilding regardless of the number of Christians in the neighborhood, a law that has been applauded by various Christian Members of Parliament. On 27 November 2020, the United Nations Human Rights experts called the Egyptian authority to drop the charges and release all four human rights activists working with EIPR. July 18, 2019. In 2013 he was arrested for documenting Rabaa massacre. [44] Human Rights Watch also mentions strict laws against insulting Islam, Christianity or Judaism and detention for unorthodox sects of Islam, such as Ahmadiyya. In September 2018, he was sentenced for 15 years in prison. [4] The same year, Reporters Without Borders ranked Egypt at 166th place in its annual Press Freedom Index.[5]. [107], On 1 December 2020, Amnesty International reported that the Egyptian authorities had executed 57 men and women between the months of October and November, in a “horrifying execution spree”. Following the Arab Spring there was hope for greater freedom of speech in Egypt. Police forces have carried out multiple extrajudicial executions. He also blamed the controversy about the procedure on the fact that the "West wants to impose its culture and philosophy on us". [79], Egypt has been accused of practicing apartheid against Palestinian residents by refusing to grant them the opportunity to become citizens. In 2002, 52 men were rounded up on the Queen Boat, a floating nightclub, by police, where they were beaten and tortured. If you want someone to disappear – never to see them again – you send them to Egypt. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. [3], In 2020, Freedom House ranked Egypt as "Not Free" in its annual Freedom in the World report. All Baháʼí community properties, including Baháʼí centers, libraries, and cemeteries, were subsequently confiscated. Access Now is joining over 100 civil society and human rights organizations from around the world in calling on governments to take action on Egypt’s human rights crisis, and establish and support a monitoring and reporting mechanism on the deteriorating human rights situation at the upcoming 46 th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. An investigative report by Reuters news agency published in March 2019 cited figures provided by the Egyptian Interior Ministry's statements from 1 July 2015 to the end of 2018: "In 108 incidents involving 471 men, only six suspects survived... That represents a kill ratio of 98.7 percent. A government spokesman said the Queen Boat incident was not a violation of human rights but, "actually an interpretation of the norms of our society, the family values of our society. New York, 6 October 1999", "United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 11b. In November 2020, the Italian prosecutors Sergio Colaiocco and Michele Prestipino placed five members of Egypt's security forces under official investigation for their alleged involvement in disappearance and torture of the Regeni. Also, seven members of the Egyptian Medical Syndicate, a quasi-government body that represents healthcare workers, have been detained for discussing Covid-19 on social media. They have been imposed extreme conditions in some cases, where activists released from prison forced to spend up to 12 hours a day in a police station. Due to the latest attacks in Egypt, at least 150 Coptic Christian families have fled al-Arish, seeking shelter in the neighborhood of Ismailia. Aroub el-Abed, Unprotected: Palestinians in Egypt since 1948 (Washington: Institute for Palestine Studies, 2009). Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. In a report on human rights in Egypt, journalist and blogger Wael Iskandar stated that there was an international complicity with the repressive government in Egypt. The prosecutors were scheduled to conclude their probe on 4 December 2020, following which they were to request the authority for a trial-in-absentia of the Egyptian security officials. Kassem was arrested for having alleged links with the opposition party, but he insisted that he was wrongfully imprisoned. For the past three years, Egypt has undergone enormous political upheaval with four different regimes ruling the country. Reportedly, 13 out of 15 men who were charged for political violence were held and executed in Cairo’s Scorpion Prison, which is considered the safest prison in the country. Authorities have jailed tens of thousands of peaceful critics, including over 4,000 persons arrested in the wake of peaceful protests in September 2019. Egypt is undertaking serious work to advance human rights at all levels, by continuing to promote the culture of human rights and to ensure there are no violations. [47] On December 16, 2006, after a single hearing, the Supreme Administrative Council of Egypt ruled against the Baháʼís, stating that the government may not recognize the Baháʼí Faith in official identification numbers. Khaled Abu Toameh, "What About The Arab Apartheid?" Quarrying limestone has been determined by national law as a hazardous activity. On 18 May 2020, HRW accused Egyptian authorities of holding thousands of people in pre-trial detention without a pretence of judicial review because of closure of courts amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. [15], Amnesty International said Egyptian authorities are increasingly using arbitrary and excessive probation measures as a way to harass activists. New York, 15 December 1989", "United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 13. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. In 2001, 18 Egyptian Baháʼís were arrested on "suspicion of insulting religion" and detained several months without being formally charged. During a period of over four years, the Egyptian authorities changed multiple statements in the case. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Their status as refugees has been deteriorating rapidly since the 1970s. As the report noted, “ [i]nhumane detention conditions have long plagued Egypt’s prisons, adversely affecting prisoners’ enjoyment of … "[46] However, on 15 May 2006, after a government appeal, the ruling was suspended by the Supreme Administrative Court. The $197m sale of Raytheon-made Rolling Airframe Missiles was requested by the Egyptian navy to improve coastal defences. Authorities in charge of the police and prison system did not respond to CPJ’s email asking for comment and the reason for arresting the journalists. New York, 18 December 1990", "United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 8b. Palestinians who lived in the Gaza Strip when Israel came into being were issued with Egyptian travel documents which allowed them to move outside of the Gaza Strip, and Egypt. The cruel and inhuman treatment meted out in prison against Gasser Abdel-Razek, Executive Director of Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) is outrageous and shows the Egyptian authorities’ determination to escalate this crackdown against human rights defenders, said Amnesty International. [56] Al-Ahram in part cites economic resentment as the cause,[57] but discusses Muslims who condemned the action. On 30 August 2020, the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) interrogated Solafa Magdy, on new unfounded charges including joining a terrorist group. [42], Human Rights Watch also indicates issues of concern. [97], Many cases of deaths in custody, forced disappearances and extrajudicial executions have been reported in Egypt.[98][99][100][101][102]. "[7], The Press Law, Publications Law, and the penal code of Egypt regulate and govern the press. [21] On 7 September 2020, Amnesty International reported that she was arrested for the third time. "reminded some in the audience of US efforts to impose its own vision of democracy in Egypt as part of the US administration's plan for a Greater Middle East."[77]. However, the state of human rights in the country has been criticized both in the past and the present, especially by foreign human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch,[1] although the Egyptian government has frequently rejected such criticism. "[9] The two sources agree that promised reforms on the subject have been disappointingly slow or uneven in implementation. Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Without advance warning, Ms. Daoud found herself on a plane to Lebanon. Egypt: Series of draconian laws ‘legalizes’ unprecedented repression six years since fall of Morsi. "Once again, I was told, Egyptians are starting to look over their shoulder to see who might be listening, to be careful what they say on the phone, to begin considering all over again who they can and cannot trust. Can Prosecution of Giulio Regeni’s Alleged Killers Weaken European Support for Egyptian Repression? The report states that out of 20 children, 15 were tortured in pre-trial detention at the time of interrogation.[89]. In 2006, Al-Azhar University lecturers Dr. Muhammad Wahdan and Dr. Malika Zarrar debated the topic in a televised debate. It was the first sentence issued by a court against female social media influencers in Egypt, after a series of arrests that mostly targeted women who were popular on TikTok. 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state protection available (2014-May 2015), "Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A statistical exploration", "Egypt sees U turn on female circumcision", "Egyptian Experts on Islamic Religious Law Debate Female Circumcision", "The world's most dangerous megacities for women 2017", "Egyptian female detainees face serious violations inside El-Sisi prisons", "Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor - Egypt", "Capacity of Egyptian Government, Workers' and Employers' Organizations Strengthened to Combat Child Labour", "Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor - Egypt | U.S. Department of Labor", "Al-Ahram Weekly - EGYPT - Not just the Queen Boat", "EOHR calls for investigating 900 torture cases", "Shutdown of renowned torture rehabilitation centre in Egypt", "Egypt: Announcing the campaign to end the death penalty", "A personal introduction to viciousness in enmity", "Alaa Abd El Fattah and his lawyer recount humiliation and beatings in maximum-security prison", "Egypt: Torture of activist Alaa Abdel Fattah illustrates use of extreme brutality to crush dissent", "American Held in Egypt Prison Dies After a Hunger Strike", "Egypt: Apparent Covid-19 Outbreaks in Prisons", "Imprisoned rights defenders in Egypt at 'grave risk' of COVID-19, warn UN experts", "Egypt accused of 'recycling' cases against dissidents", "Deadly Consequences Obstruction of Aid in Yemen During Covid-19", "Egyptian Suspects in Murder of Italian Student Likely to Face In-Absentia Trial", "Giulio Regeni: Egypt 'suspends' investigation into Cambridge student's murder", "Egypt: Rampant impunity for security forces illustrates dark legacy of Rabaa massacre", "2,978 cases of extra-judicial killings in 3 years", "Egypt rights group says 754 extrajudicial killings in 2016", "March Horrific Harvest: Hundreds of 'Disappeared', Tortured and 177 Extrajudicial Killings - Egyptian Coordination for rights and freedoms", "Egypt police carry out 'extrajudicial execution' in North Sinai", "Video 'shows Egypt army killing detainees, "Egypt: Serious Abuses, War Crimes in North Sinai", "If You Are Afraid for Your Lives, Leave Sinai! The move by the Trump administration came after a request made by president Sisi during his visit to the US earlier in the month. He was later jailed, fined and sentenced to a year of hard labor. "If you want them to be tortured, you send them to Syria. According the same survey around 40% of the girls were raped prior to their conversion to Islam and married their captors. He was detained for 15 days, according to reports. Overview The authorities resorted to a range of repressive measures against protesters and perceived dissidents, including enforced disappearance, mass arrests, torture and other ill-treatment, excessive use of force and severe probation measures, particularly after protests against the President … [7], There have been disputes between Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria and the government. [91] On August 24, 2020, the United Nations rights experts also raised concern over severe risk faced by imprisoned Egyptian human rights defenders due to lengthy and unnecessary pre-trial detention, during COVID-19. [8] As of 2020, Reporters Without Borders (RsF) ranked Egypt 166 out of 180 countries in press freedom. Government regulations dating from Ottoman times require non-Muslims to obtain presidential decrees before building or repair a place of worship. The country is also a party to numerous international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. However, the Amnesty International rights group said that el-Elaimy was unlawfully charged for speaking publicly about politically motivated imprisonment, enforced disappearance and torture in Egypt. [2] "The worst mass killing in Egypt’s modern history" occurred during the dispersal of a sit-in on 14 August 2013, when as many as 900 protesters were killed. These individuals were mostly civilians who were convicted under military jurisdiction which is in violation of International human rights standards.[85]. [87][88] According to a 43-page report “‘No One Cared He Was A Child’: Egyptian Security Forces’ Abuse of Children in Detention,” by HRW and a rights group namely, Belady, grave abuse against 20 children aged between 12 and 17 at the time of arrest have been committed. New York, 13 December 2006", "United Nations Treaty Collection: Chapter IV: Human Rights: 16. International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Palestinians came under surveillance by Egyptian security services after the 1978 assassination Egyptian Minister of Culture Yusuf al-Sibai by the Palestinian terrorist group Abu Nidal.