GENEVA – Three United Nations human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, today raised alarm at the continuing crackdown on human rights defenders and civil society organisations in Egypt. They warned that many NGOs have been closed down, and human rights defenders have been interrogated by the security forces, subjected to travel bans and had their assets frozen in retaliation for their legitimate and peaceful human rights work. “Egypt is failing to provide a safe and enabling environment for civil society in the country,” the UN experts on human rights defenders, freedom of expression, and freedoms of assembly and association said. “The Government must immediately put an end to all forms of persecution and take effective measures to protect civil society.” The rights experts reiterated their call on the Egyptian authorities to amend Law 84/2002 on Non-Governmental Organizations without delay, which remains in force despite widespread criticism. “The recent attempt to forcibly close the Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence demonstrates how Egypt’s NGO Law is being used to obstruct the reporting on human rights issues, such as torture,” explained the experts. The Center was issued with a closing order on 17 February 2016 for publishing reports on torture, which... Continue reading →
GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, David Kaye, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, while welcoming the release of Hossam Bahgat, today reiterate grave concern at the situation of fear and intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders which inhibit the legitimate exercise of their rights and the performance of their work in Egypt. “Hossam Bahgat has been a leading member of the human rights community in Egypt for well over a decade, shining a spotlight on abuses through his fact-finding and investigative journalism,” said David Kaye. According to reliable information, Mr. Bahgat was detained by military authorities on 8 November, during investigation solely based on his writing and work as journalist, and was then released today. "Even after his release, his detention sends a signal of disrespect for the very principles of freedom of expression that President Sisi only days ago claimed his government upheld," added the UN expert. "We are deeply concerned that the fear of criminalization and of being detained, even if not ultimately charged, creates an environment that deters reporting and intimidates writers and activists of all kinds," said Michel Forst. “This adds to the already very difficult... Continue reading →
GENEVA – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, today called upon the Mauritanian Parliament to reject the draft law on associations approved by the Council of Ministers last month without public consultations. “While I support Mauritania’s efforts to reform and improve laws that govern the work of civil society, I am concerned that the bill, as it stands, threatens the exercise of fundamental freedoms in the country, in particular the right to freedom of association,” Mr. Kiai said. The human rights expert further voiced particular concern about the lack of civil society consultation ahead of the elaboration of the recently amended draft Law on associations, foundations and networks of associations, which is not in line with international standards. “The Mauritanian Government should view civil society as a key partner in the process of reform.” “Legislation that enshrines mandatory procedures for the ‘prior authorization’ of associations, instead of a simple process of ‘prior notification’, risks hindering the work of civil society in Mauritania,” he said. Instead, Mr. Kiai stated, “a prior notification process that automatically attributes an association the legal personality to function is... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of United Nations human rights experts, including Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai, expressed outrage at the decision by an Egyptian court to uphold the death sentences against 183 people, and called on Egypt to respect its obligations under international human rights law. “By imposing mass death sentences on several occasions over the past two years, the Egyptian courts have shown their utter disregard for the right to life as protected under international law,” the experts said. Most of the defendants in this third mass sentencing since January 2014 are alleged supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi. “We previously warned the authorities that with the imposition of mass death sentences, Egyptian courts were casting a serious shadow over the independence and impartiality of the country’s justice system.” The experts’ statement follows last Monday’s decision by an Egyptian court to uphold a previous verdict sentencing 183 people to death for allegedly carrying out an attack on a police station in the village of Kerdassa on the outskirts of Cairo in August 2013, in which 13 policemen were killed. “These latest developments show Egypt’s persistent failure to comply with its international human rights law obligations, in particular relating to due process... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of UN human rights experts, including Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai, expressed outrage after a Criminal Court in Minya, Egypt, confirmed death sentences against 183 people, in what constitutes the largest mass death sentence to be confirmed in Egypt in recent history. The experts urged the Government to quash the sentences and offer new and fair trials to all defendants. On 21 June 2014, the Court upheld 183 of the 683 provisional death sentences imposed on 28 April 2014 in connection with events in Minya last August. The provisional sentences were pronounced following trials laden with procedural flaw. There was a lack of precision in the charges, limited access to lawyers, trials in absentia, and mass sentencing. The charges ranged from threatening public order and setting fire to a police station to murder. The 183 defendants, including Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed al-Badie, are all supporters of former elected President Mohamed Morsi. “The imposition of mass death sentences following blatantly unfair trials and for crimes that may not be punishable by death constitutes a staggering violation of international human rights law,” the experts said. The statement by the United Nations independent experts comes after a joint statement on 15 May 2014 urging the... Continue reading →
BANJUL / GENEVA – A group of African and UN human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, today called on the Egyptian authorities to bring its legal system into compliance with international and regional standards so as to ensure long-term justice and contribute to reconciliation efforts in Egypt. The appeal by nine United Nations independent experts, together with the Chairperson of the Working Group on Death Penalty and Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings in Africa, comes after the second wave of mass death sentences pronounced in Egypt last month. “Following the two mass trials, Egypt’s legal system is in critical need of being reformed, in line with international and regional standards,” the international experts stressed. “A failure to do so is likely to undermine any prospects for long-term reconciliation and justice in the country.” On 28 April 2014, a group of 683 individuals were sentenced to death in Egypt, on charges related to the events in Al-Minya in August 2013. The verdicts were pronounced in the aftermath of a first round of mass death penalties imposed upon 529 individuals on 24 March 2014. As in the previous case, the new death sentences were pronounced, reportedly under similar charges, after proceedings that seriously violated international standards of... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of eight United Nations human rights experts*, including Maina Kiai, today urged the Egyptian authorities to quash the 529 death sentences announced in Egypt last week and give the defendants new and fair trials, so as to ensure respect of international human rights law. “The right to life is a fundamental right, not a toy to be played with. If the death penalty is to be used at all in countries which have not abolished it, international law requires the most stringent respect of a number of fundamental standards,” the experts said. On 24 March 2014, 529 individuals were sentenced to death in Egypt on charges related to the events leading to the ousting of the Government of President Mohammed Morsi in 2013. At least 600 more individuals are currently under trial for similar charges. “We are appalled by the lack of clarity of the charges under which each individual was sentenced to death. Reports that some of them received capital punishment for charges of unlawful gathering, or any other offence not involving murder, indicate a clear violation of international law,” the experts stressed, recalling the “most serious crimes” provision under international law, according to which only crimes of intentional killing may be punishable by death. The experts also expressed... Continue reading →
A group of United Nations independent human rights experts today urged the Egyptian Shura Council not to adopt a draft law on civil society organisations, which, in its current form, does not comply with international human rights norms and standards relating to freedom of association. “It is highly regrettable that a government that was formed as a response to peaceful social activism can place such restrictions on people’s right to freedom of association,” said the UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, on human rights defenders, and on freedom of opinion and expression. “All actors should play a role in the conduct of public affairs.” The human rights experts regretted that valuable recommendations put forward by Egyptian civil society actors were not taken into account in the drafting of the text. “We are seriously concerned that numerous provisions contained in the draft law may be used to hamper the legitimate work of civil society organisations, particularly those advocating human rights,” they noted. The experts welcomed the Egyptian authorities’ initiative to revise law 84/2002 due to its lack of compliance with international standards; however, they warned that “the draft legislation currently being considered by the Shura Council has a... Continue reading →
United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Mr. Maina Kiai, today urged the Algerian authorities to seize the unique opportunity offered by the upcoming legislative elections to ensure that the new regulations for civil society organizations, adopted at the end of last year, adequately meet the requirements of international human rights law. “The legislative elections, scheduled on Thursday, 10 May 2012, must address civil society’s legitimate demands and uphold freedom of association,” Mr. Kiai stressed. “While the Arab Spring paved the way for a more inclusive participation of civil society, it is highly regrettable that Algeria has now taken a step backwards in relation to freedom of association by placing more rigorous limits on the scope of associations’ activities or their access to funding.” The human rights expert voiced particular concern about many provisions of Law 12-06 on associations adopted in December 2011, which imposes new controls and restrictions on the establishment of associations and their access to foreign funding. Under the new law, the formation of an association requires prior approval by the authorities, who can now reject a registration application without referring the matter to a judge, as was previously the case.... Continue reading →
A group of United Nations independent experts today expressed alarm at the degree of violence and deterioration of the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association which have led to loss of life in Egypt, ahead of parliamentary elections planned for 28 November 2011. “The right to freedom of peaceful assembly is an inherent element of democracies,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Mr. Maina Kiai, expressing deep concern at reports announcing the death of protesters in violence over the weekend. “The Egyptian authorities must stop using violence and engage immediately in a genuine national dialogue with all groups of society. An independent investigation should be immediately initiated into the cause of death and escalation of violence.” For the UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions, Mr. Christof Heyns, “the use of lethal force is not an option when controlling demonstrations, dissent must be tolerated and not restrained with excessive force which can lead to loss of life. I strongly urge the security forces to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid the escalation of violence and take immediate measures to protect the right to life of the demonstrators.” “The right to freedom of expression is a cornerstone for... Continue reading →
