Egypt: Sexual Assault and Intimidation during a protest

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN - Case EGY 130605.VAW

Sexual Assault and Intimidation

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Egypt.

Brief Description of the Situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP), a member of the OMCT network, of the sexual assault of three women, and the physical assault of one man, while they were at a demonstration about the Article 76 Amendment Referendum, which was held in Cairo on May 25, 2005.

According to information received, some protestors were sexually assaulted during the demonstration. Although the prosecution office has initiated investigations, victims and witnesses continue to be threatened and intimidated by security forces. ACIJLP has received complaints from the following three women whom were sexually assaulted during the demonstrations:1. Abeer Ahmed Hassan
2. Hany Isshaq Sumaan
3. Shaymaa Abu el Kheir Suleiman
In addition, a man named Iman Taha was physically assaulted during the demonstrations and he sustained a cut to his arm.

Members of the security forces have followed, harassed and monitored the movements of these women and their families. The security forces are pressuring these women to change their statements.

The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its deep concern over the ill-treatment of these persons by members of the security forces. Furthermore, OMCT echoes ACIJLP’s concern that threats by security authorities is a violation of the Declaration on Basic Priniciples of Justice for the Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, especially Article 6: “The responsiveness of judicial and administrative processes to the needs of victims should be facilitated by…allowing the views and concerns of victims to be presented and considered at appropriate stages of the proceedings where their personal interest are affected, without prejudice to the accused and concisstent wwith the relevant inational criminal justice system”.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Egypt urging them to:
i. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the sexual assaults and subsequent threats and intimidation from security officials, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. Guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to the victims;
iii. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

• President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, Abedine Palace, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: webmaster@presidency.gov.eg, Fax:+202 390 1998
  
  
• Minister of the Interior, His Excellency General Habib al-Adeli, Ministry of the Interior, Al-Sheikh Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: moi@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 579 2031
  
  
• Minister of Justice, His Excellency Mr Faruq Sayf al-Nasr, Ministry of Justice, Midan Lazoghly, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: mojeb@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 795 8103
  
  
• Public Prosecutor, Counsellor Maher 'Abd al-Wahid, Dar al-Qadha al-'Ali, Ramses Street, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 577 4716
  
  
• Ambassadeur Gabr, Naéla, Av. Blanc 49 (2ème), CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail: mission.egypt@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 738 44 15

Please also write to the embassies of Egypt in your respective country.

Geneva, June 15 2005.

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