Egypt
01.08.00
Urgent Interventions
Egypt: Denial of registration
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
EGY 003 / 0008 / OBS 075
Denial of registration
EGYPT
1st August 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Egypt.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed by the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) that on 30th July 2000 the Ministry of Social Affairs decided to postpone the registration of the EOHR as an NGO because of the refusal of security forces (decision n°5804). The Ministry did not specify the reason for their decision, nor which security entities are blocking the procedures for registering the organisation or which procedures the EOHR has allegedly failed to complete. Furthermore, the Ministry has not given a timeframe for this postponement.
This decision comes four days after being notified verbally by the undersecretary of the Ministry for Social Affairs on 26th July 2000, that the EOHR had been accepted as an NGO and registered under the number 461 year 2000.
The Observatory is very preoccupied by this decision, which is an indicator of the government’s insistence on confiscating the role of civil society and setting restrictions on human rights activists.
This decision constitutes a clear setback after the opportunity created by the decision of the High Constitutional Court dated 3rd June 2000, which had considered the Law on Private Associations and Institutions (Law 153 of 1999), as unconstitutional (see Urgent Appeal EGY 032/9905/OBS 032.02). During the examination of the law, the High Constitutional Court had criticized, in particular, the restrictive system of the establishment of NGOs provided by the law, which set the control of the executive and of security forces on the activities of NGOs ; it had also stated that the right to set up and join organisations is a constitutional and natural right that forms one of the most important pillars of a democratic society.
Actions requested :
Please write to the Egyptian authorities urging them to :
i. register as soon as possible the EOHR as an NGO ;
ii. stop any kind of harassment against human rights defenders and their organisations;
iii. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in particular its Article 1 which provides that " Every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level" and its article 5.b which provides that « for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the rights, individually or in association with others, at the national and international levels to form, join and participate in non-governmental organisations, associations or groups."
iv. guarantee the effective respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the universal and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Egypt.
Addresses :
His excellency Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, " Abedine Palac, Cairo, Egypt. Telex : 93794 WAZRA UN
His Excellency General Hassan al-Afly, Minister of the Interior Al- Sheik Rihan Street, bab al-Louk, le Cairo, Egypt. Telx : 21361 UN - Fax : +202 355 81 03
His excellency Faruq Sayf Al-Nasr, Minister of Justice, Midan Lazoghly, Cairo, Egypt. Fax : +202 355 81 03
The Embassies of Egypt in your respective countries.
Geneva- Paris, 1st August 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of the present appeal.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
1998 Human Rights Prize of The French Republic
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency Line: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92 Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39
EGY 003 / 0008 / OBS 075
Denial of registration
EGYPT
1st August 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Egypt.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed by the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) that on 30th July 2000 the Ministry of Social Affairs decided to postpone the registration of the EOHR as an NGO because of the refusal of security forces (decision n°5804). The Ministry did not specify the reason for their decision, nor which security entities are blocking the procedures for registering the organisation or which procedures the EOHR has allegedly failed to complete. Furthermore, the Ministry has not given a timeframe for this postponement.
This decision comes four days after being notified verbally by the undersecretary of the Ministry for Social Affairs on 26th July 2000, that the EOHR had been accepted as an NGO and registered under the number 461 year 2000.
The Observatory is very preoccupied by this decision, which is an indicator of the government’s insistence on confiscating the role of civil society and setting restrictions on human rights activists.
This decision constitutes a clear setback after the opportunity created by the decision of the High Constitutional Court dated 3rd June 2000, which had considered the Law on Private Associations and Institutions (Law 153 of 1999), as unconstitutional (see Urgent Appeal EGY 032/9905/OBS 032.02). During the examination of the law, the High Constitutional Court had criticized, in particular, the restrictive system of the establishment of NGOs provided by the law, which set the control of the executive and of security forces on the activities of NGOs ; it had also stated that the right to set up and join organisations is a constitutional and natural right that forms one of the most important pillars of a democratic society.
Actions requested :
Please write to the Egyptian authorities urging them to :
i. register as soon as possible the EOHR as an NGO ;
ii. stop any kind of harassment against human rights defenders and their organisations;
iii. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in particular its Article 1 which provides that " Every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level" and its article 5.b which provides that « for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the rights, individually or in association with others, at the national and international levels to form, join and participate in non-governmental organisations, associations or groups."
iv. guarantee the effective respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the universal and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Egypt.
Addresses :
His excellency Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, " Abedine Palac, Cairo, Egypt. Telex : 93794 WAZRA UN
His Excellency General Hassan al-Afly, Minister of the Interior Al- Sheik Rihan Street, bab al-Louk, le Cairo, Egypt. Telx : 21361 UN - Fax : +202 355 81 03
His excellency Faruq Sayf Al-Nasr, Minister of Justice, Midan Lazoghly, Cairo, Egypt. Fax : +202 355 81 03
The Embassies of Egypt in your respective countries.
Geneva- Paris, 1st August 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of the present appeal.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
1998 Human Rights Prize of The French Republic
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency Line: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92 Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39