Human Rights Watch … The army and pro-government militias carried out serious abuses, including demolishing homes and arbitrarily arresting, torturing, and extrajudicially executing residents. Human Rights Watch report warns Egypt not to cover up military killing of Coptic protesters. 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. Egypt was on this list 5 times in the last 15 years and was removed only briefly in 2018. In August, President al-Sisi approved a new law that maintains most of the drastic restrictions imposed on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Human Rights Watch: Egypt imposes collective punishment at Scorpion prison 18.12.2020. Egypt’s 2016 discriminatory church-building law has achieved little in removing obstacles and sectarian violence around building churches. Amnesty Italia launched a campaign to halt Italy’s arms sales to Egypt. President al-Sisi continued to warn against anti-government protests and gatherings. Pursuant to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Human Rights Watch (HRW) opposes violations of what are considered basic human rights under the UDHR. Torture practices have also affected well-known activists such as Alaa Abdel Fattah and Israa Abdel Fattah. Discriminatory laws continue to impede building and renovating non-Sunni Muslim houses of worship. 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. Minorities such as Baha`is and nonbelievers face discriminatory obstacles in obtaining IDs and vital documents, such as marriage and death certificates. 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. 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. 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. 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. Egyptian authorities severely punish peaceful criticism against the government and routinely silence journalists, bloggers, and social media users. 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. Sinai Province runs detention sites where civilians are held and interrogated. 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 These are unofficial detention sites lacking judicial oversight. 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 Freedom of Assembly The government has not released the implementing regulations of the 2017 NGO law, but … 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. In January, two days before Christmas celebrations, a bomb outside a Coptic church in Nasr City killed a policeman. ISIS militants also committed horrific violations, including kidnappings, torture, and killings of residents and detained security force members. 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. 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. 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. Human Rights Watch says this is the first time its staff members have been prevented from entering Egypt, even under three decades of former dictator Hosni Mubarak's rule. Between January 2014 and June 2018, 3,076 alleged militants and 1,266 military and police members were killed in Sinai hostilities. Human Rights Watch documented several indiscriminate and possibly unlawful air and ground attacks by security forces. Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. Trump did not at any point publicly raise human rights concerns, instead praising al-Sisi’s  “fantastic job” in Egypt. Despite the 2016 penal code amendments criminalizing female genital mutilation (FGM), prosecutions of perpetrators remained rare and FGM remains widely practiced  throughout the country, with an estimated four out of five genital mutilations performed by doctors in professional medical environments. Since April 2017, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has maintained a nation-wide state of emergency that gives security forces unchecked powers. Government Human Rights Bodies: The quasi-governmental NCHR monitored government abuses of human rights submitted in the form of citizen complaints to the government. Official Denials Suggest Investigation Will be Flawed, says New York-based international rights … 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. Human Right Watch defends the rights of people in 90 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice. Human Rights Watch documented several indiscriminate and possibly unlawful air and ground attacks by security forces. In January, French President Emmanuel Macron criticized human rights abuses in a Cairo press conference after meeting al-Sisi. US President Donald Trump met with al-Sisi on three separate occasions in 2019: in the White House in April, on the sidelines of the G7 summit in August in France, and at the UN General Assembly in September. Egypt blocks Human Rights Watch website. 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. Everyone agrees we need expanded vaccine production - except the governments currently blocking it; UN Security Council action needed to stop atrocities in Ethiopia's Tigray region; abuses against Burundi refugees in Tanzania; Hong Kong sentences key pro-democracy figures; US resumes arms sales to UAE, spelling dangers for civilians in Yemen and Libya; what's next for Afghanistan? CAIRO - Egyptian security forces have committed widespread abuses against civilians in the restive northern Sinai peninsula, some of which amount … Authorities unfairly banned 83 defendants in the case from travel and froze their assets. 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. The Egyptian government in 2019 passed constitutional amendments that were approved in an unfair referendum in April. 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. This council will supervise and be able to intervene in the judiciary’s affairs, including appointments and promotions. 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. Egyptian authorities have not released statistics on civilian casualties, and often included civilians in militant death counts, making it difficult to ascertain what proportion of civilians make up these figures. 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). ; 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. 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. In January, a TV anchor was sentenced to one year in prison for interviewing a gay man on television. Under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government, Egypt has been experiencing its worst human rights crisis in many decades. Detainees include well-known leftist activists Ziad al-Elaimy and Hossam Mo’nis. Join our movement today. UN Women group, which works for women’s empowerment, estimated that almost a third of Egyptian women experienced intimate partner physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. “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. The law also prohibits cooperating with foreign organizations or experts, or participating in any “political” activities or activities perceived to undermine “national security.”. Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808. This includes capital punishment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation . 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. Detainees often face ill-treatment, abuse, and sometimes torture. Sinai Province militants have kidnapped, tortured, and extrajudicially executed civilians, routinely targeting those they perceive to be pro-government. The new law permits daily monitoring of NGO activities by government or security officials. Egypt Under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government, Egypt has been experiencing its worst human rights crisis in many decades. The amendments consolidate authoritarian rule, undermine the judiciary’s dwindling independence, and expand the military’s power to intervene in political life. Since 2014, Human Rights Watch has documented 20 extrajudicial killings of residents by government forces. Foreign Funding in Egypt: OK for You, But Not OK for Us? He said he was simply visiting his wife and children, who lived in Egypt… Under these rules, which among other things prohibit “insulting state institutions,” “generalization,” and “harming state interests,” the council has censored newspapers, websites and tv shows. Security forces engage in human rights abuses with impunity, and physical security is further undermined by terrorist violence centered in the Sinai Peninsula. 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. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and several UN experts have repeatedly condemned abuses in Egypt. 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. Tens of thousands of government critics, including journalists and human rights defenders, remain imprisoned on politically motivated charges, many in lengthy pretrial detention. The police and National Security Agency routinely carry out systematic enforced disappearances and torture with impunity. The Covid-19 outbreak exacerbated dire conditions in overcrowded prisons and dozens detained on political grounds died in custody. Christians, the largest religious minority in Egypt, continued to face systematic discrimination on societal and institutional levels. Despite several government promises to lift restrictions, the law merely removes prison penalties but maintains severe restrictions that make it impossible for NGOs to work freely and independently. Freedom in the World — Egypt … Authorities frequently use terrorism charges against peaceful activists and harassed and detained relatives of dissidents abroad. 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. Authorities rounded up more than 4,400 people in a mass arrest campaign following rare anti-government protests on September 20. Tens of thousands of … 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 government did not include any critical human rights groups in the consultations around drafting the new law, and the final draft was kept secret until it was passed by the parliament. Security forces used torture and enforced disappearances systematically against dissidents from all backgrounds. 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. 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. An army spokesman acknowledged some child detentions, justifying them as part of the army’s counterterrorism operations. Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on Egypt’s military rulers to end all investigations and trials of children by military courts. 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. The Egyptian army destroyed over 12,000 buildings--mostly homes--in the conflict-ridden North Sinai governorate between 2013 and 2020. 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. The army has  arrested and forcibly disappeared children as young as 12. (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. Human Rights Watch documented demolitions of at least 3,600 homes and commercial buildings by the army between January and May 2018 alone. Human Rights Watch report claims Egyptian authorities used arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and torture. The NCHR continues to function with its existing membership, even though under … However, France remained one of the main suppliers of weapons and surveillance technology to Egypt. 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. CAIRO — The Egyptian government continues to target gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in a "systematic fashion" through arbitrary arrests, torture and … Human Rights Watch said Hassan spoke with the group and denied that he had joined the Islamic State. The case, known as the “Hope Coalition” case, involves activists who were allegedly planning a new political coalition to contest the 2020 elections. Egypt's Security Forces Abuse & Torture LGBT People – new report. “Egyptian authorities need to be guided by the constitution and stop persecuting people for atheism.” 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 June, authorities arrested and searched the homes of scores of activists and accused them of joining, aiding, or funding a “terrorist” group. … Small groups of protesters gather in central Cairo shouting anti-government slogans in Cairo, Egypt September 21, 2019. These demolitions are carried out without any judicial oversight or independent recourse mechanism. Human Rights Watch on Thursday accused Egyptian authorities of making modifications to a notorious Cairo prison that amount to "collective punishment" of inmates following an escape attempt that left four policemen dead.. Egyptian security agencies last month had construction workers make changes … Hundreds of news and rights organizations and political websites remain blocked in Egypt without judicial orders, including Human Rights Watch’s website. In February, several human rights organizations including the Human Rights Watch called the European Union to ascertain the implementation of the 2013 pledge that focuses on addressing human rights violations in Egypt and review EU’s relation with Egypt.