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Egypt – In a press conference at CIHRS, 36 NGOs condemn the campaign waged by Egyptian authorities against civil society organizations

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Egypt – In a press conference at CIHRS, 36 NGOs condemn the campaign waged by Egyptian authorities against civil society organizations

Human rights NGOs demand the dismissal of the Ministers of Solidarity and of International Cooperation
Cairo – 24 August 2011 – CIHRS

In a press conference sponsored by 36 Egyptian human rights organizations this morning at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), the NGOs announced their condemnation of the fierce campaign waged by the government and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) on civil society organizations and human rights groups.

Human rights organizations presented their statement at the press conference declaring their position towards these infringements, and voicing their demands to competent authorities, on top of which is the dismissal of the Minister of Solidarity Gouda Abdul-Khaliq and the Minister of International Cooperation Faiza Abul-Naga. The organizations further presented a complaint that they have raised to the relevant Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations and the African Commission for Human Rights in this regard.

The conference was attended by a large number of journalists, media professionals and artists concerned with the role of civil society in Egypt.

Mr. Bahey El-Din Hassan, director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, presented the NGOs position towards the military council’s and the Egyptian government’s recent attacks against civil society, expressing resentment regarding the ways in which SCAF and the Cabinet have been dealing with these organizations recently. The statements highlighted the restrictions imposed on the activities of civil society organizations, and denounced accusations to NGOs of being foreign agents implementing foreign agendas. Such accusations are seen as a direct response to independent human rights organizations’ criticism of the human rights violations occurring in post-Mubarak’s Egypt. .

Ahmed Ragheb, director of the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, declared that the number of military trials of civilians that were held since SCAF took office reached 12,000 for the past 6 months alone, noting that during the 30 years of Mubarak’s rule they were 10,000. He further stated that violations being committed now will dictate Egypt’s future and whether it would find its way towards a true transition to democracy or back to a situation worse than before. …more