Ongoing judicial harassment of Ms. Azza Soliman

New information:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sourcesabout the judicial harassment of Ms. Azza Soliman, human rights lawyerand founder of the Centre for Egyptian Women Legal Aid (CEWLA).

On March 23, 2015, Ms. Soliman received informationthat she was formally charged with “unauthorised protesting”, and “breach ofsecurity and public order”. Along with Ms. Soliman, sixteen others werecharged, including Ms. Nagwa Abbass, member of the Socialist Popular AllianceParty. The first hearing was scheduled on April 4, 2015, before the AbdeenMisdemeanor Court.

These charges against Ms. Soliman are linked with hertestimony denouncing the violent dispersal on January 24, 2015 of a protestcommemorating the January 25 Revolution, which led to the shooting of politicalactivist Ms. Shaimaa El Sabbagh. Ms. Soliman did not take part in the protest,but was coincidentally in the same area and witnessed the dispersal and theshooting of the activist (see background information).

This case is an illustration of a wider trend ofrepression against human rights defenders in Egypt. The Observatory recalls inparticular that the restrictive protest law, which bans gatherings of ten ormore people without a permit issued by the authorities, has been repeatedlyused by the authorities as a tool to harass and imprison human rightsdefenders.

The Observatory strongly condemns the judicial harassment against Ms.Soliman, which only aims at sanctioning her recent reports on human rightsviolations, as part of her legitimate human rights activities. The Observatorycalls on the authorities to drop all charges held against her, and put an immediateend to this judicial harassment.

Background information:

On January 24, 2015, Ms. Soliman voluntarily went tothe Public Prosecution's office to give her testimony regarding the violentdispersal of a protest organised by the political party Popular Alliance on thesame day by security forces, which led to the death of political activist, Ms.Shaimaa El Sabbagh. Ms. Soliman did not take part in the protest, but wascoincidentally in the same area and witnessed the dispersal and the shooting ofthe activist.

After waiting several hours at the PublicProsecution's office, Ms. Soliman was finally able to give her testimony,pointing to the responsibility of the police for the death of the activist. Ms.Soliman also filed a complaint accusing the Minister of Interior and securityforces of having violently dispersed the peaceful protest.

Upon completion of her testimony, the prosecutor theninterrogated her, and informed her that he was going to press charges againsther and four other witnesses for “illegal gathering” and “participating in aprotest that harmed public security”. Ms. Soliman was released along with theother four, pending investigation.

Actionsrequested:

Please write to the authorities of Egypt asking themto:

i. Drop all charges against Ms. Azza Soliman and put anend to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against her andall human rights defenders in Egypt;

ii. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical andpsychological integrity of Ms. Azza Soliman and all human rights defenders inEgypt;

iii. Comply with all the provisions of the United NationsDeclaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular with:

- itsArticle 1, which provides that “everyone has the right, individually and inassociation with others, to promote and to strive for the protection andrealization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national andinternational levels”;

- itsArticle 5(a): “For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights andfundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in associationwith others, at the national and international levels (a) To meet or assemblepeacefully”

- itsArticle 6(a), which foresees that “everyone has the right, individually and inassociation with others, to participate in peaceful activities againstviolations of human rights and fundamental freedoms”;

- itsArticle 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measuresto ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individuallyand in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, defacto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any otherarbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of therights referred to in the present Declaration”;

iv. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rightsand fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rightsstandards and international instruments ratified by Egypt.

Addresses

· President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E. AbdelFattah el-Sisi, Abedine Palace, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 23901998

· Prime Minister, Mr. Ibrahim Mehleb, Magles El ShaabStreet, Kasr El Aini Street, Cairo, Egypt. Fax: + 202 2735 6449 / 27958016.Email: primemin@idsc.gov.eg

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

· Minister of Justice, Mr. Mahfouz Saber, Ministry ofJustice, Magles El Saeb Street, Wezaret Al Adl, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: mojeb@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 2795 8103

· Public Prosecutor, Counsellor Hisham Barakat Daral-Qadha al-Ali, Ramses Street, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 2577 4716

· Mr. Mohamed Fayeq, President of the National CouncilFor Human Rights, Fax: + 202 25747497 / 25747670. Email: nchr@nchr.org.eg

· H.E. Ms.Wafaa Bassim, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations inGeneva, 49 avenue Blanc, 1202 Genève, Switzerland, Email: mission.egypt@ties.itu.int, Fax: +41 22 738 44 15

· Embassyof Egypt in Brussels, 19 avenue de l’Uruguay, 1000 Brussels, Belgium, Fax: +322 675.58.88; Email: embassy.egypt@skynet.be

Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassiesof Egypt in your respective country.

***

Paris-Geneva, March25, 2015

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting thecode of this appeal 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 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

· Tel and fax OMCT + 41(0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29