Arrest of Mr. Alaa Abdel Fatah, a member of the “No to Military Trials for Civilians” group

Egypt

November29, 2013

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a jointprogramme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention on thefollowing situation in Egypt.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the arrestof Mr. Alaa Abdel Fatah, a civil and political rights activist,blogger and a member of the “No to Military Trials for Civilians” group.

According to the information received, on November 28, 2013, securityoperatives raided Mr. Abdel Fatah's residence. Although they produced no searchwarrant, they searched the premises and carted away computers and telephones.When challenged for not being authorised to conduct a search, they beat Mr.Abdel Fatah and his wife up while their two year-old son slept in the nextroom.

Mr. Abdel Fatah was then arrested upon the basis of a warrant of arrestissued by Egyptian authorities in relation to the call for protests by the “Noto Military Trials for Civilians” group, which was protesting Article 198 ofthe draft constitution that allows for civilian trials before military courts.He is being accused of incitement and organisation of the protest and isreportedly being held at CentralSecurity Forces barracks on the Cairo-Alexandria desert road and would haveappeared on November 29 at Cairo Security Directorate where his investigationhas begun.

The Observatory recalls that on November 26, 2013 at least nine membersof the “No to Military Trials for Civilians” group, nine journalists and sevenlawyers were arrested by police forces in Cairo, as they were demonstratingnear Tahrir Square[1].In an effort to pressure the members of the Constitutional Committee to voteagainst Article 198, the “No to Military Trials for Civilians” group had calledfor protests to be held on November 26, ahead of the vote, in front of theShura Council (where the committee holds its meetings). Tens protesters joinedthe call at 4pm on Kasr Al Aini street, however thirty minutes later, securityforces issued a warning to the protesters to immediately end their protest,which reportedly remained peaceful. The protesters refused to leave andsecurity forces opened water canons against them. Security forces and policemenin plain cloth simultaneously arrested protesters and journalists. Videofootage circulating on-line, and authenticated, shows the police beating theprotesters and sexually harassing both men and women[2].

The Observatory recalls that Mr. Abdel Fatah has been repeatedlypersecuted by successive regimes in Egypt for his human rights activism. In2011, he was jailed for almost two months by the Mubarak Government and then bythe Supreme Council of the Armed Forces[3].Similarly, in 2013, the Morsi Government trumped up charges against him forallegedly “inciting violence against the Brotherhood” for involvement insetting fire to former presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq’s campaignheadquarters.

The Observatory condemns the unnecessary violent raid of Mr. AbdelFatah's home, especially since he had publicly committed to turning himself inthe weekend. The Observatory also expresses its deep concern about thearbitrariness of his arrest and detention, which it considers an attempt toprevent his legitimate and peaceful human rights activities, and calls upon theEgyptian authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally as hisdetention is arbitrary.

Actions requested:

Pleasewrite to the authorities of Egypt asking them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrityof Mr. Abdel Fatah and all human rights defenders in Egypt;

ii. Release Mr. Abdel Fatah and all human rights defenders currently in detention immediately andunconditionally since their detention is arbitrary as it seems to only aim atcurtailing their human rights activities;

iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level,against Mr. Abdel Fatah and all human rights defenders in Egypt;

iv. Comply with all theprovisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, inparticular with:

- its Article 1, whichprovides that “everyone has the right, individually and in association withothers, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of humanrights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”;

- its Article 6 (a) and(b), which provides that “everyone has the right, individually and inassociation with others: To know, seek, obtain, receive and hold informationabout all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including having access toinformation as to how those rights and freedoms are given effect in domesticlegislative, judicial or administrative systems; and a provided for in humanrights and other applicable international instruments, freely to publish,impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all humanrights and fundamental freedoms”;

v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamentalfreedoms in accordance with international human rights standards andinternational instruments ratified by Egypt.

Addresses

· President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Adly Mansour,Abedine Palace, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: webmaster@presidency.gov.eg, Fax: +202 23901998

· Prime Minister Mr. Hazem El Biblawi, Magles El Shaab Street, Kasr ElAini Street, Cairo, Egypt. Fax: + 202 2735 6449 /27958016. Email: primemin@idsc.gov.eg

· Minister of the Interior, General Mohamed Ibrahim, Ministry of theInterior, El-Sheikh Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: moi1@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 2579 2031 / 27945529

· Minister of Justice, Mr. Adel Abdel Hamid, Ministry of Justice, MaglesEl Saeb Street, Wezaret Al Adl, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: mojeb@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 2795 8103

· Public Prosecutor, Counsellor Hisham Barakat Dar al-Qadha al-Ali, RamsesStreet, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 2577 4716

· National Council For Human Rights, Fax: + 202 25747497 / 25747670

· Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations in Geneva, 49 avenueBlanc, 1202 Genève, Switzerland, Email: mission.egypt@ties.itu.int, Fax: +41 22 738 44 15

· Embassy of Egypt in Brussels, 19 avenue de l’Uruguay, 1000 Brussels,Belgium, Fax: +32 2 675.58.88; Email: embassy.egypt@skynet.be

Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassies of Egypt inyour respective country.

***

Paris-Geneva, November29, 2013

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of thisappeal in your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to theprotection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support intheir time of need.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

• E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org

· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 2518 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

· Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 4939 / + 41 22 809 49 29

[1] See FIDH-OMCT Press Statement issuedon November 29, 2013.

[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXa3QtLw5uw

[3] See the Observatory-EMHRN PressRelease issued on November 3, 2011.