Egypt - Latest Press Releases

On 2 April 2015, Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture (SRT) regarding the case of Mohammed Ali Hassan, a 31 year-old Egyptian journalist working for Egyptian News Network (ENN). He has been subjected to various acts of torture since his arrest in December 2014 and is currently on an open-ended hunger strike, putting his life at risk.

Published in EGY - News

On 6 March 2015, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture (SRT), Juan E. Méndez issued its Observations on communications transmitted to Governments and replies received, an Addendum to its Report to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in which the SRT provides observations on communications sent to States between 1 December 2013 and 30 November 2014. In light of Egypt's non-cooperation with his mandate, Mr. Méndez urged the Egyptian authorities to respond to the communications sent to them "without further delay."

Published in EGY - News

On 24 March 2015, Alkarama sent an appeal to United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture (SRT) regarding the case of Ammar Mohammed Mohammed Mahmoud, a 19 year-old Egyptian student who has been subjected to various acts of torture since his arrest in November 2014. Detained in deplorable conditions inside Tora prison, Ammar remains at high risk of torture and has not been brought before a judge yet.

Published in EGY - News

On 20 March 2015, the Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted the outcome of Egypt's Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a process aimed at reviewing the human rights record of all UN Member States by every four years. In a context of serious and gross human rights violations in the country, the Egyptian authorities have accepted many of the HRC's recommendations regarding civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural ones. However, past experiences and practice in the field show that the authorities have to do more than just promises.

Published in EGY - News

On 12 March 2015, Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances (WGEID) regarding the enforced disappearances of Ibrahim Ahmed Shaker, aged 20, Serag Eldin Ali Awad Abdel Mawla, 17, Metwally Abou Al Majd Suleiman Mohamed, 45 and his son Hisham Metwally Abou Al Majd Mohamed, 18. The four men were abducted in January 2015 and have not reappeared since, leaving their families in the fear that they could be ill-treated while secretly detained by the Egyptian security apparatus.

Published in EGY - News

On 7 March 2015, the Egyptian authorities carried out their first execution since Morsi's ouster in July 2013, despite Alkarama's urgent appeal to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions (SUMX) asking the authorities to halt the execution. Mahmoud Hassan Ramadan Abdelnaby Negm was sentenced to death on 16 May 2014 following an unfair trial conducted by Alexandria's Criminal Court who admitted as evidence the confessions Hassan obtained under torture. His sentence was later confirmed by the Grand Mufti of Egypt and his appeal rejected by the Court of Cassation on 5 February 2015.

Published in EGY - News

On 4 March 2015, Alkarama called on the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions (SUMX) regarding the arbitrary executions of seven civilians during the Egyptian military operation on the Eastern Libyan coastal city of Derna on 16 February 2015. Amongst the victims were Rabha Saleh Ahmed Al Mansouri, 44, and three of her children, Afrah, 7, Huzaifa, 2 and Zakaria, 6. Only Mrs Al Mansouri's husband and their 8-year-old son survived the bombing of their house by the Egyptian army.

Published in EGY - News

On 23 February 2015, Alkarama solicited the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions (SUMX) to ask the Egyptian authorities to launch investigations into the arbitrary executions of two men killed during military operations in North Sinai. 71-year-old, Eid Said Salama Al Hamadine and 50-year-old, Hilmi Sayed (whose name was anonymised) were killed respectively on 17 August 2014 and 5 January 2015 in Sheikh Zuweid, a Bedouin town in the North Sinai Governorate, near the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip.

Published in EGY - News

On 17 February 2015, Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture (SRT) regarding the case of Mohamed Saïd Rizq, a 27-year-old Egyptian citizen repeatedly tortured by the security forces since his arrest on 27 August 2014. Held in deplorable detention conditions, Rizq is in a critical condition and still at high risk of torture.

Published in EGY - News

On 11 February 2015, Alkarama wrote to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to health (SRH) and the Special Rapporteur on Torture (SRT), regarding the cases of three Egyptian citizens who died in detention in late 2014. Abubakar Ahmed Hanafi, aged 46, Zaki Abu Hanafi Majd, 54, and Mahmoud Abdelrazak Shafie Rouby, 27, all lost their lives due to the lack of appropriate medical treatment.

Published in EGY - News

Egypt - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

ICCPR: Ratified on 14.01.1982
Optional Protocol: No

State report: Overdue since 01.11.2004 (4th)
Last concluding observations: 28.11.2002

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 25.06.1986
Optional Protocol: No
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): Yes
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Due on 25.06.2016 (initially due in 2004)
Last concluding observations: 23.12.2002

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

No

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 02.2010 (1st cycle)
Next review: 2014 (2nd cycle)

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) – Status A

Last review: 10.2006
Next review: Deferred