Statement
Tuesday 26th October, 2022
A problematic human rights climate won’t be discussed at the climate summit, in Egypt.
The state of Egypt will host the United Nations Climate Summit (COP27), to be held in Sharm El Sheik from 6th to 18th November, in the presence of 197 countries, discussing climate change and its impact on the world.
This occasion brings together the heads and representatives of a large number of countries around the world and at the same time it’s boycott by a number of presidents and representatives of international bodies and organizations due to the deteriorating human rights situation in Egypt.
The signatory organizations wish to place at the meeting table of the Presidents and representatives of those States present another kind of a problematic climate in which the Egyptian citizen lives and suffers.
Human rights are being systematically breached spreading on a wide range inside Egyptian prisons and detention facilities. As well as missing the basic rights as health, food and proper environment.
Tens of thousands of violations committed by the Egyptian government have been monitored and documented, including:
I. 105 death sentences had been carried out in cases of a political nature, and 95 political opponents are awaiting execution at any time.
II. 15,000 cases of enforced disappearance were monitored and documented between July 2013 and the end of August 2022, 62 of which were documented dead during their disappearance.
III. 1,134 detainees died of deliberate medical negligence in prisons and detention centers.
IV. 2,000 women have been subjected to various violations, including imprisonment, indecent assaults and dismissal from universities.
V. More than 60,000 citizens have been arbitrarily arrested and brought before extraordinary courts that lack minimum standards for a fair and equitable trial. These courts have issued rulings that contravene Egyptian law, the constitution, and international conventions.
VI. Detainees in cells and detention facilities are subjected to violations such as overcrowding, denial of visits and deprivation of exposure to the sun.
VII. The promulgation of a number of notorious laws, including the law on the prevention of demonstrations, the shackling of civil work and the dismissal of heads of regulatory bodies.
VIII. Systematic and ongoing torture and disrespect for the dignity of citizens in prisons and detention centers.
IX. Arbitrary detention without legal grounds against national political figures. They were imprisoned in ‘The Scorpion’ prison and prevented from visits for years. Many of them passed away in prison.
X. Forced displacement and forced evictions in Sinai and other areas within the Arab Republic of Egypt.
XI. Arbitrary detention of children by the Egyptian authority for political reasons, which affected more than 3,000 children over the past years.
The signatory organizations of this statement declare their support for the Annual Summit of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27), and appreciate all the efforts made to do so, but they affirm that the Egyptian Government seeks through hosting the summit to cover up its “other climate” and its black record of multiple violations and repeated transgressions.
The organizations call on the following;
First, the immediate release of political prisoners in Egypt and an end to the arbitrary and indiscriminate arrests of the opponents by the Egyptian Government.
Second: The suspension of extraordinary and military trials and the consequent revocation of their sentences, especially the death sentences.
Third, the fate of the forcibly disappeared should be disclosed and they should be released.
Fourth, the establishment of independent international commissions of inquiry to investigate all crimes against humanity committed since 3 July 2013.”
● signatories to this statement:
1) AFD International – Belgium.
2) El Shehab for Human Rights (SHR) – London.
3) Justice Foundation for Human Rights (JHR)- Istanbul.
4) Tawasol Organization for Human Rights
The Hague – Netherlands
5) Najda for Human Rights – London.
6) Organisation Voix libre – France.
7) Human Rights Monitor (HRM) – London.
8) Egyptian coordination of rights and freedoms- Cairo
9) Arab Media Freedom Monitor- London
10) Association of victims of Torture – Geneva.
11) Victims Center for Human Rights- Cairo.