human rights watch egypt

About 70 participants did not manage to get visas on time. Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808. The Egyptian army destroyed over 12,000 buildings--mostly homes--in the conflict-ridden North Sinai governorate between 2013 and 2020. In June, authorities arrested and searched the homes of scores of activists and accused them of joining, aiding, or funding a “terrorist” group. However, the states at the council have failed to introduce a collective statement of concern despite the worsening crisis in Egypt since March 2014. The law also prohibits cooperating with foreign organizations or experts, or participating in any “political” activities or activities perceived to undermine “national security.”. Civilian and military courts sentenced hundreds of individuals to death in 2019, often in mass trials in cases that stem from alleged political violence or planned violence. The army has  arrested and forcibly disappeared children as young as 12. One of these activists, lawyer Gamal Eid, was physically attacked in October by armed men in circumstances that indicated government involvement. Egyptian authorities should reveal the whereabouts of at least five Egyptian dissidents who were deported to Egypt in recent weeks, Human Rights Watch said today. The human rights community welcomed the establishment of the caucus, Human Rights Watch stated: “The formation of the Egypt Human Rights Caucus speaks to the urgency of the human rights situation in Egypt and is a welcome development. Grave crimes including torture and enforced disappearance are committed with impunity. Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. Sinai Province runs detention sites where civilians are held and interrogated. In January, a TV anchor was sentenced to one year in prison for interviewing a gay man on television. Authorities unfairly banned 83 defendants in the case from travel and froze their assets. In November, during the Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Egypt received strong criticism and scores of recommendations from countries from every region. “Atheists are one of Egypt’s least-protected minorities, although the constitution ostensibly guarantees freedom of belief and expression,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. Detainees include well-known leftist activists Ziad al-Elaimy and Hossam Mo’nis. Egypt continued to stall on a law that would tackle domestic violence. Human Rights Watch also documented 50 cases of arbitrary arrests, of whom 39 were likely forcibly disappeared; at least 14 have been missing for three or four years. Former President Mohamed Morsy, whom the army forcibly removed in 2013, died on June 17 in a Cairo court room following six years of lack of medical care and near-absolute isolation in prison. (Beirut) – Egyptian security forces have arrested and detained a leader of a major human rights group, Human Rights Watch said today. The Egyptian government in 2019 passed constitutional amendments that were approved in an unfair referendum in April. Military and civilian courts of appeal upheld at least 32 death sentences, raising the number on death row to 74, the majority of whom were charged with political violence. In January, French President Emmanuel Macron criticized human rights abuses in a Cairo press conference after meeting al-Sisi. Human Rights Watch report claims Egyptian authorities used arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and torture. President al-Sisi continued to warn against anti-government protests and gatherings. This includes capital punishment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation . The new NGO Law, which parliament passed in July and al-Sisi approved in August, prohibits NGOs from conducting field research, surveys, or opinion polls without government approval. Join our movement today. In January, two days before Christmas celebrations, a bomb outside a Coptic church in Nasr City killed a policeman. Authorities keep thousands of prisoners in abysmal conditions, where overcrowding and insufficient medical care have been systematic and may have contributed to the deteriorating health and deaths of scores of detainees. In February, nine UN experts condemned the “arbitrary executions” of nine of those executed “on the basis of evidence allegedly obtained under torture,”  following “what appears to be seriously flawed trials.”. Foreign Funding in Egypt: OK for You, But Not OK for Us? Detainees often face ill-treatment, abuse, and sometimes torture. Two female participants were sexually assaulted by registration officials in Sharm al-Sheikh, and others reported physical surveillance. Minorities such as Baha`is and nonbelievers face discriminatory obstacles in obtaining IDs and vital documents, such as marriage and death certificates. Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on Egypt’s military rulers to end all investigations and trials of children by military courts. Those detained and disappeared are usually held in one of three main army bases in North Sinai: Camp al-Zohor in Sheikh Zuwayed, Battalion 101 Base in al-Arish, and al-Galaa Military Base in the neighboring Ismailya governorate. Since 2014, Human Rights Watch has documented 20 extrajudicial killings of residents by government forces. “Egyptian authorities need to be guided by the constitution and stop persecuting people for atheism.” Those arrested include well-known figures, such as political science professors Hazem Hosni and Hassan Nafaa, as well as journalist and politician Khaled Dawood and human rights lawyer Mohamed al-Baker. More news and political websites were blocked before the constitutional referendum in April. Tens of thousands of … In a September meeting with al-Sisi, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson chose to highlight economic ties but made no mention of the mass arrests that preceded the meeting. Under the guise of fighting terrorism, Egyptian authorities showed utter disregard for the rule of law. DUBAI (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Qatar on Monday to eliminate male guardianship rules that prevent women making independent decisions on basic rights such as marriage, travel and accessing reproductive health care. Satellite imagery analysis reveals widespread home demolitions, farmland loss, construction of security installations, and resettlement sites. However, France remained one of the main suppliers of weapons and surveillance technology to Egypt. Tens of thousands of government critics, including journalists and human rights defenders, remain imprisoned on politically motivated charges, many in lengthy pretrial detention. These are unofficial detention sites lacking judicial oversight. The amendments also give the president the power to appoint the chief justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court, the head and members of the Commissioners’ Authority, and Egypt’s public prosecutor, among other positions. The parliament approved President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s extension of a nationwide state of emergency for the fourth year in a row. The Supreme Council for Media Regulation, a government entity established pursuant to the abusive new 2018 media law to monitor and control media, issued in March and September two sets of by-laws that impose drastic restrictions and disproportionate penalties without judicial oversight for any media outlet, including websites and social media pages, that do not abide by the council’s rules. CAIRO - Egyptian security forces have committed widespread abuses against civilians in the restive northern Sinai peninsula, some of which amount … In April and May, Egypt hosted the 64th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the African Union’s top rights body, in an oppressive atmosphere. IMF: Scant Transparency for Covid-19 Emergency Loans, Egypt: Massive Sinai Demolitions Likely War Crimes, Egypt: Security Forces Abuse, Torture LGBT People, Egypt: Gang Rape Witnesses Arrested, Smeared, Russia, Egypt under increasing scrutiny at UN rights body, Condemnation of Egypt’s Abuses at UN Rights Body, Egypt: Provide Equitable Covid-19 Vaccine Access. In August, President al-Sisi approved a new law that maintains most of the drastic restrictions imposed on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Freedom of Assembly The government has not released the implementing regulations of the 2017 NGO law, but … Egypt blocks Human Rights Watch website. Egyptian security forces, mainly the army, as well as ISIS-affiliated militants, committed serious and widespread abuses in North Sinai, some of which amount to war crimes, since the conflict escalated in late 2013. The Covid-19 outbreak exacerbated dire conditions in overcrowded prisons and dozens detained on political grounds died in custody. The police and National Security Agency routinely carry out systematic enforced disappearances and torture with impunity. Human Rights Watch criticized Italy’s possible arms deal of €11 billion with Egypt. Human Rights Watch | 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor | New York, NY 10118-3299 USA | t 1.212.290.4700 Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808 Human Rights Watch … CAIRO — The Egyptian government continues to target gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in a "systematic fashion" through arbitrary arrests, torture and … The case of a 2014 gang rape of a young Egyptian woman in Cairo’s Fairmont Hotel continues to receive international criticism, especially as six months have passed since the crime was first reported, and the perpetrators have yet to appear in court. Constitutional amendments approved in an unfair referendum in April 2019 extended al-Sisi’s current term from four to six years, allow him to run for one additional term, and name him the head of the Supreme Council for Judicial Bodies and Authorities. ISIS militants also committed horrific violations, including kidnappings, torture, and killings of residents and detained security force members. Authorities rounded up more than 4,400 people in a mass arrest campaign following rare anti-government protests on September 20. In October, the European Parliament adopted a strong resolution condemning abuses in Egypt and North Sinai, the third such resolution in less than two years, but the European Union failed to adopt concrete measures in response. The court said that the charges “contradict democratic values and the country’s obligations under international law.” The case involved staffers from four American organizations and one German. In June, the International Labour Organization placed Egypt  on its list of countries that abuse workers and do not respect their right to organize and unionize. In December 2018, an Egyptian criminal court acquitted all 43 defendants in the retrial of the 2011 foreign organizations case in which they had been sentenced to between 1 and 5 years in prison. Hundreds of news and rights organizations and political websites remain blocked in Egypt without judicial orders, including Human Rights Watch’s website. (Beirut) – Egyptian authorities intensified their repression of peaceful government critics and ordinary people during 2020, virtually obliterating any space for peaceful assembly, association or expression, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2021. Since April 2017, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has maintained a nation-wide state of emergency that gives security forces unchecked powers. Trump did not at any point publicly raise human rights concerns, instead praising al-Sisi’s  “fantastic job” in Egypt. Egypt continued to repress lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights, in recent years prosecuting dozens of people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Authorities use vague “morality” charges to prosecute female social media influencers, witnesses, and survivors of sexual violence. In November, two United Nations experts said that such conditions “may have directly led” to his death and “may be placing the health and lives of thousands more prisoners at severe risk.” Authorities did not conduct any independent investigation into his death. With a state of emergency and long curfew hours imposed uninterruptedly in Sinai since late 2014, restrictions on movement, also justified under the rhetoric of counterterrorism, led to severe shortages of food and other essential items for months during 2018. Egypt’s use of mass trials and the death penalty has mounted since 2013, including death sentences against children and death sentences issued in military trials. Torture practices have also affected well-known activists such as Alaa Abdel Fattah and Israa Abdel Fattah. Official Denials Suggest Investigation Will be Flawed, says New York-based international rights … Human Rights Watch slams stall in Egypt’s Fairmont rape case. Egypt Under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government, Egypt has been experiencing its worst human rights crisis in many decades. This council will supervise and be able to intervene in the judiciary’s affairs, including appointments and promotions. Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on the Egyptian government to bolster measures to provide equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines for everyone in the country, saying it should allocate vaccines transparently, “based on sound medical and public policy criteria, including World Health Organization guidance.” ; in Brazil, Rio's attorney general weakens police oversight; France deports Chechen asylum seeker, who is then abducted; and another serious blow to democracy in Poland. A law criminalizing domestic violence did not gain traction in parliament, and Christians still face discrimination and obstacles when it comes to building new churches. Despite the ruling, authorities continued to impose travel bans and asset freezes of at least 31 leading Egyptian human rights activists in the protracted investigations in Case 173 of 2011, known as the “foreign funding” case. Amnesty Italia launched a campaign to halt Italy’s arms sales to Egypt. Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa Division, Egyptian Army’s Massive Destruction in North Sinai, Egypt: Restrictions on Civic Work Underscored, The European Bank Should Speak Out About Egypt’s Abuses, Joint Letter to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on Egypt. Since 2017, authorities have blocked an estimated 600 news and political and human rights websites, as well as social media sites and secure communications apps, without judicial authorization. Security forces led by the military continue to brutalize civilians in North Sinai in its conflict with Sinai Province, an armed group affiliated with the extremist group Islamic State (ISIS). Over 160 activists or perceived dissidents were arrested or prosecuted by authorities for voicing criticism before the constitutional referendum in April. Sinai Province militants have kidnapped, tortured, and extrajudicially executed civilians, routinely targeting those they perceive to be pro-government. Egypt’s military has forcibly evicted roughly 100,000 North Sinai residents, or one-fifth of North Sinai’s population, and destroyed thousands of homes since 2014. Between January 2014 and June 2018, 3,076 alleged militants and 1,266 military and police members were killed in Sinai hostilities. The Human Rights Watch had renewed its complaints on the human rights situation in Egypt through a report issued on May 28, 2019, regarding the situation in Sinai. Terrorist attacks against Christians continued. According to pro-government newspapers, of about 6,000 churches and service buildings that lack legal recognition, only 1,027 were given conditional permits as of July, three years after passage of the law. UN experts, Human Rights Watch, and several other groups have long documented conditions inside Egypt’s prisons, where prisoners have died following abuse, torture, and inadequate medical care. Egypt’s military has forcibly evicted roughly 100,000 North Sinai residents, or one-fifth of North Sinai’s population, and destroyed thousands of homes since 2014. The government recognizes only Islam, Christianity and Judaism as official religions. The new law permits daily monitoring of NGO activities by government or security officials. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and several UN experts have repeatedly condemned abuses in Egypt. Authorities frequently use terrorism charges against peaceful activists and harassed and detained relatives of dissidents abroad. Human Right Watch defends the rights of people in 90 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice. Egypt's Security Forces Abuse & Torture LGBT People – new report. Egypt has blocked the website of Human Rights Watch just one day after the organization released a report on systematic torture in the country's jails. Under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government, Egypt has been experiencing its worst human rights crisis in many decades. Human Rights Watch also documented 50 cases of arbitrary arrests, of whom 39 were likely forcibly disappeared; at least 14 have been missing for three or four years. Human Rights Watch documented several indiscriminate and possibly unlawful air and ground attacks by security forces. Human Rights Watch documented demolitions of at least 3,600 homes and commercial buildings by the army between January and May 2018 alone. Government Human Rights Bodies: The quasi-governmental NCHR monitored government abuses of human rights submitted in the form of citizen complaints to the government. In March, Malak al-Kashef, a transgender woman, was arrested from her home and accused of “joining a terrorist group.” She spent four months in pretrial detention in a male prison where she was sexually harassed and abused before being provisionally released in July. Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in 90 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice, Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808, Fair Trials, Due Process, and the Death Penalty, Violence against Women, Girls, and LGBT People, Two Years After #MeToo Erupts, A New Treaty Anchors Workplace Shifts, Holding Companies to Account: Momentum Builds for Corporate Human Rights Duties, As Killer Robots Loom, Demands Grow to Keep Humans in Control of Use of Force, Shutting Down the Internet to Shut Up Critics, With Millions Out of School, the Countdown Begins to Get All Children into Quality, Accessible Education, Going to the Bank for Food, Not Money: The Growing Reality of Hunger in “Rich” Countries, 600 news and political and human rights websites. Security forces used torture and enforced disappearances systematically against dissidents from all backgrounds. Authorities prosecuted and banned from leaving the country leading women’s rights activists, including Mozn Hassan, head of Nazra for Feminist Studies and Azza Soliman, head of the Centre for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance. According to Amr Magdi, Middle East and North Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, there is “no effective oversight mechanism” that monitors prison conditions in Egypt. Hossam Ahmed, a transgender man, was also arrested in March and ordered detained on terrorism accusations. 26 civil society organizations are urging the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to convey to the Egyptian authorities that the country’s worsening rule of law and human rights abuses represent non-compliance with the political aspects of the EBRD’s mandate and constitute a major problem for the Bank that should be addressed urgently and seriously. In late 2018, Italian authorities named several Egyptian police and National Security Agency officers as involved in the kidnapping and murder of Italian PhD student Giulio Regeni in 2016, but Egypt failed to investigate or prosecute anyone. Egypt was among the top three worst jailers of journalists in the world, with roughly 30 journalists behind bars, many charged with “spreading false news.”. According to the Egyptian Front for Human Rights, as of June authorities executed at least 15 prisoners in three cases on political grounds. Government or security officials sexual orientation media influencers, witnesses, and survivors of sexual orientation 2014, Rights. $ 30,000 ) on time hundreds of news and Rights organizations and political websites were blocked before the referendum. For interviewing a gay man on television human rights watch egypt to intervene in the judiciary ’ s extension of a state! 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