A joint letter by European MPs urges establishment of a UN rights monitoring mechanism on Egypt
A joint letter by various European members of parliaments have urged foreign ministers, and ambassadors to the UN Human Rights Council for the establishment of a UN human rights monitoring mechanism on Egypt
The joint letter urging the United Nations to further monitor the human rights situation in Egypt, was signed by some 175 members of parliaments.
Following is the text of the joint letter followed by signatories:
Dear Foreign Ministers,
Dear Ambassadors to the UN Human Rights Council,
We, the undersigned members of parliaments, are writing to urge you to secure the establishment of a UN human rights monitoring and reporting mechanism on Egypt, taking resolute action to that end at the upcoming March 2022 session of the UN Human Rights Council.
We are extremely concerned about the international community’s persistent failure to take any meaningful action to address Egypt’s human rights crisis. This failure, along with continued support to the Egyptian government and reluctance to even speak up against pervasive abuses has only deepened the Egyptian authorities’ sense of impunity.
Since the 2013 ousting of former President Mohamed Morsi, the Egyptian authorities have been ruling the country with an iron fist, brutally and systematically repressing all forms of dissent and severely curtailing civic space. The Egyptian authorities have arbitrarily detained thousands of perceived dissidents, including scores of human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, and peaceful activists and opposition politicians, including Ibrahim Metwally Hegazy, Zyad el-Elaimy, Ibrahim Ezz el-Din, Haytham Mohamdeen, Hoda Abdelmoneim, Abdel Nasser Salama, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, and Mohamed al-Baqer, among many others. Many are held in indefinite pre-trial detention or are serving sentences handed out following grossly unfair trials, including by military courts and emergency courts whose judgements are not subject to appeal. Those released are subjected to abusive extrajudicial measures by National Security Agency officers to stifle any activism.
All this happens in a context of rampant torture by police and National Security Agency officers, which according to the UN Committee Against Torture and NGOs is a systematic practice in the country. Egypt’s notoriously squalid prison conditions already claimed the lives of dozens since 2013, including former president Morsi and film-maker Shady Habash.
The few remaining independent human rights organizations still able to operate in Egypt do so at great risk; their activities are severely curtailed by a repressive NGO law, as well as travel bans, asset freezes, and persistent harassment by security agencies and other institutional actors. Amid severe restrictions and intimidations, local and international organizations continue to document a wide range of human rights abuses by Egyptian authorities, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions, the arbitrary detention of women on “morality” grounds, the trial of children along with adults, the continued crackdown on members of the LGBTI community, and the arrest and prosecution of members of religious minorities over blasphemy charges, to name but a few.
Furthermore, in 2020 Egypt became the world’s third top executioner, with 107 recorded executions. In 2021, the execution spree continued with at least 83 recorded so far, including following grossly unfair trials.
Despite this devastating picture, the international community has by and large limited its reaction to rare, occasional statements of concern at the UN Human Rights Council. Such statements often start by acknowledging Egypt’s role for regional security, stability and migration management, concerns that its international partners seem to have largely privileged over – and arguably at the expense of – the fundamental rights of people in Egypt, in a false dichotomy of stability versus human rights which we reject in the strongest possible terms. Likewise, public statements made by officials in high-level visits and in bilateral meetings often praise the government at any cost.
We take note of some recent modest steps taken or announced by the Egyptian authorities, yet regret that these steps hardly constitute anything more than an effort to whitewash their dismal human rights record, and are unlikely to have any significant impact on Egypt’s human rights crisis.
The new “national human rights strategy”, drafted in an untransparent manner and without consultation with independent human rights organizations, overlooks grave past and ongoing human rights concerns such as the prolonged arbitrary detention of peaceful critics, enforced disappearances, and torture in detention facilities, and it fails to identify concrete steps to hold those responsible to account. Instead, the strategy blames lack of awareness by Egyptian people, political parties and civil society for the current human rights crisis.
After the lifting of the state of emergency, the Egyptian parliament passed a series of emergency-law-like provisions expanding military courts’ jurisdiction over civilians and further undermining the right to information, which de facto have only further and permanently entrenched the state of emergency into Egypt’s legal system. Furthermore, the Emergency State Security Courts have sentenced opposition MP and human rights lawyer Zyad el-Elaimy, journalists Hossam Moaness,and Hisham Fouad, activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, human rights lawyer Mohamed al-Baqer, and blogger Mohamed “Oxygen” Ibrahim, and will continue to rule on cases already referred to them, including those of Patrick Zaki, , Hoda Abdelmoneim, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh and many more.
The latest release of prisoners to reduce prison overcrowding excluded countless human rights defenders and political activists. Finally, while the release of activists Ramy Shaath and Ramy Kamel is indeed welcomed, this should not distract from the thousands of political prisoners who remain in arbitrary and unjust detention.
While largely cosmetic, these small developments are a sign that the Egyptian authorities are sensitive to international pressure as they follow the March 2021 Finland-led cross-regional statement on Egypt at the UN Human Rights Council – remarkably, only the second such statement since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power, despite his government’s sustained, widespread and systematic abuses. The previous one, in 2014, ultimately failed to secure lasting human rights change in the country, also due to a lack of collective follow-up by UN member states. This must not reoccur.
The March 2021 joint statement should not remain a one-off gesture. We urge you to increase your outreach to partner countries in order to build momentum within the UN Human Rights Council for the establishment of a long overdue monitoring and reporting mechanism on Egypt, while also significantly increasing pressure on the Egyptian authorities through your bilateral relations to resolutely address Egypt’s human rights crisis and secure meaningful progress.
Yours faithfully,
1. Jan-Christoph Oetjen, European Parliament
2. Marie Arena, European Parliament
3. Pierfrancesco Majorino, European Parliament
4. Hannah Neumann, European Parliament
5. Soraya Rodriguez-Ramos, European Parliament
6. Mounir Satouri, European Parliament
7. Alviina Alametsä, European Parliament
8. Abir Al-Sahlani, European Parliament
9. Margrete Auken, European Parliament
10. Clémentine Autain, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
11. Christine Badertscher, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
12. Pietro Bartolo, European Parliament
13. Nicola Beer, European Parliament
14. Tiziana Beghin, European Parliament
15. Malik Ben Achour, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
16. Brando Benifei, European Parliament
17. Eva Biaudet, Parliament (Suomen eduskunta), Finland
18. Benoit Biteau, European Parliament
19. Malin Björk, European Parliament
20. Laura Boldrini, Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati), Italy
21. Manuel Bompard, European Parliament
22. Dr. Helmut Brandstätter, National Council (Nationalrat), Austria
23. Saskia Bricmont , European Parliament
24. Anne Sophie Callesen, Parliament (Folketing), Denmark
25. Damien Careme, European Parliament
26. Fabio Massimo Castaldo, European Parliament
27. Laura Castel i Fort, Senate (Senado), Spain
28. Julie Chanson, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
29. Annie Chapelier, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
30. Christophe Clivaz, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
31. Jeremy Corbyn MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom
32. David Cormand, European Parliament
33. Cécile Cornet, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
34. Ignazio Corrao, European Parliament
35. Mirella Cortès i Gès, Senate (Senado), Spain
36. Andrea Cozzolino, European Parliament
37. Barbara Creemers, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
38. Brigitte Crottaz, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
39. Ciarán Cuffe, European Parliament
40. Rosa D’Amato, European Parliament
41. Séverine de Laveleye, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
42. Monique de Marco, Senate (Sénat), France
43. Wouter De Vriendt, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
44. Guillaume Defossé, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
45. Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, European Parliament
46. Özlem Alev Demirel, European Parliament
47. Frédérique Dumas, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
48. Pascal Durand, European Parliament
49. Kurt Egger, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
50. Faika El-Nagashi, National Council (Nationalrat), Austria
51. Janine Alm Ericson, Parliament (Riksdag), Sweden
52. Adelina Escandell Grases, Senate (Senado), Spain
53. Stefano Fassina, Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati), Italy
54. Olivier Faure, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
55. Jacques Fernique, Senate (Sénat), France
56. Margaret Ferrier MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom
57. Nicola Fratoianni, Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati), Italy
58. Claudia Friedl, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
59. Malte Gallée, European Parliament
60. Claudia Gamon, European Parliament
61. Balthasar Glättli , National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
62. Andreas Glück, European Parliament
63. Raphaël Glucksmann, European Parliament
64. Antón Gómez-Reino, Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados), Spain
65. Guillaume Gontard, Senate (Sénat), France
66. Chiara Gribaudo, Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati), Italy
67. Elisabetta Gualmini, European Parliament
68. Francisco Guerreiro, European Parliament
69. José Gusmão, European Parliament
70. Jytte Guteland, European Parliament
71. David Habib, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
72. Svenja Hahn, European Parliament
73. Thomas Hammarberg, Parliament (Riksdag), Sweden
74. Lord Richard Harries, House of Lords, United Kingdom
75. Satu Hassi, Parliament (Suomen eduskunta), Finland
76. Heidi Hautala, European Parliament
77. Hannes Heide, European Parliament
78. Peter Heidt, Federal Parliament (Bundestag), Germany
79. Inka Hopsu, Parliament (Suomen eduskunta), Finland
80. Claire Hugon, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
81. Sophie in ‘t Veld, European Parliament
82. Yannick Jadot, European Parliament
83. Gyde Jensen, Federal Parliament (Bundestag), Germany
84. Dame Diana Johnson MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom
85. Christian Juhl, Parliament (Folketing), Denmark
86. Hubert Julien-Laferrière, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
87. Kari Elisabeth Kaski, Parliament (Stortinget), Norway
88. Moritz Körner, European Parliament
89. Dietmar Köster, European Parliament
90. Bastien Lachaud, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
91. Aurore Lalucq, European Parliament
92. Philippe Lamberts, European Parliament
93. Katrin Langensiepen, European Parliament
94. Paolo Lattanzio, Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati), Italy
95. Pierre Laurent, Senate (Sénat), France
96. Nicole Le Peih, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
97. Ulrich Lechte, Federal Parliament (Bundestag), Germany
98. Michael Georg Link, Federal Parliament (Bundestag), Germany
99. Tony Lloyd MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom
100. Max Lucks, Federal Parliament (Bundestag), Germany
101. Kenny MacAskill MP, House of Commons, United Kingdom
102. Erik Marquardt, European Parliament
103. Jordi Martí Deulofeu, Senate (Senado), Spain
104. María del Carmen Martínez Granados, Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados), Spain
105. Lisa Mazzone, Council of States (Ständerat / Conseil des États / Consiglio degli Stati), Switzerland
106. Jean François Mbaye, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
107. Karen Melchior, European Parliament
108. Anikó Merten, Federal Parliament (Bundestag), Germany
109. Boris Mijatovic, Federal Parliament (Bundestag), Germany
110. Fabian Molina, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
111. Alessandra Moretti, European Parliament
112. Simon Moutquin, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
113. Ulrike Müller, European Parliament
114. Sébastien Nadot, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
115. Javier Nart, European Parliament
116. Niklas Nienaß, European Parliament
117. Danièle Obono, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
118. Janina Ochojska, European Parliament
119. Erasmo Palazzotto, Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati), Italy
120. Piernicola Pedicini, European Parliament
121. Giuseppina Picierno, European Parliament
122. Kati Piri, House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal), Netherlands
123. Giuliano Pisapia , European Parliament
124. Raymonde Poncet Monge, Senate (Sénat), France
125. Katharina Prelicz-Huber, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
126. Stefanie Prezioso, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
127. Valentine Python, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
128. Lia Quartapelle Procopio, Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati), Italy
129. Samira Rafaela, European Parliament
130. Josep Maria Reniu i Vilamala, Senate (Senado), Spain
131. Diana Riba i Giner, European Parliament
132. Manuela Ripa, European Parliament
133. Caroline Roose, European Parliament
134. Marta Rosique i Saltor, Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados), Spain
135. Franziska Roth, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
136. Fabien Roussel, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
137. Josep Rufa Gracia, Senate (Senado), Spain
138. Alessandro Ruotolo, Senate (Senato della Repubblica), Italy
139. Regula Rytz, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
140. Isabelle Santiago, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
141. Andreas Schieder, European Parliament
142. Meret Schneider, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
143. Filippo Sensi, Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati), Italy
144. Günther Sidl, European Parliament
145. Sylvana Simons, House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal), Netherlands
146. Massimiliano Smeriglio, European Parliament
147. Jordi Solé i Ferrando, European Parliament
148. Carlo Sommaruga, Council of States (Ständerat / Conseil des États / Consiglio degli Stati), Switzerland
149. Søren Søndergaard, Parliament (Folketing), Denmark
150. Marianne Streiff-Feller, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
151. Tineke Strik, European Parliament
152. Håkan Svenneling, Parliament (Riksdag), Sweden
153. Sophie Taillé-Polian, Senate (Sénat), France
154. Marc Tarabella, European Parliament
155. Marie Toussaint, European Parliament
156. Ioan Dragoș Tudorache, European Parliament
157. Erkki Tuomioja, Parliament (Suomen eduskunta) , Finland
158. Andreas Sjalg Unneland, Parliament (Stortinget), Norway
159. Miguel Urbán Crespo, European Parliament
160. Ernest Urtasun, European Parliament
161. Olivier Vajda, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
162. Els Van Hoof, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
163. Céline Vara, Council of States (Ständerat / Conseil des États / Consiglio degli Stati), Switzerland
164. Hilde Vautmans, European Parliament
165. Cédric Villani, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
166. Idoia Villanueva Ruiz, European Parliament
167. Nikolaj Villumsen, European Parliament
168. Bettina Vollath, European Parliament
169. Guillaume Vuilletet, National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), France
170. Thomas Waitz, European Parliament
171. Nicolas Walder, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
172. Felix Wettstein, National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national / Consiglio nazionale), Switzerland
173. Baroness Janet Whitaker, House of Lords, United Kingdom
174. Evita Willaert, Chamber of Deputies (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des représentants), Belgium
175. Salima Yenbou, European Parliament
