Egypt

Egypt

Save Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s life. Tell Egypt He Must Be released [UPDATED]

The Egyptian activist, whose family has played important role in every fight for human rights in Egypt for more than four decades, has ended his hunger strike in prison after being able to meet with family members. Amnesty International continues to fight for his release. He has endured more than 1,000 days in unjust detention for his human rights activities. Prison and security officials have subjected him to a catalogue of human rights violations including torture and other ill-treatment, in reprisal for his prominent role in the 2011 revolution.

Alaa was recently featured in AIUSA’s Banned Book Week action.  Your solidarity is urgently needed. 3 actions you can take right now

• 1 Sign & Share https://tinyurl.com/2nbrc9w5
• 2 Tweet @POTUS to urgently intervene for @alaa’s immediate release before #Cop27
• 3 Follow @FreedomforAlaa

Take Amnesty’s Urgent Action on the case.

Don’t Allow Egypt to “GreenWash” the COP27 Conference

The climate conference depends on the ability of civil society actors to freely be heard. With Egypt’s record of muzzling civil society and using a Protest Law dating back to the British colonial period to essentially criminalize all public demonstrations, this will not happen. Already news reports confirmed by human rights groups have reported hundreds of detention of Egyptians in advance of the conference. Amnesty International has joined an international coalition of human rights and environmental groups to call for #FreeThemAll during the COP27 conference.

Why a White Out?

We are calling on people to do a “White Out” action to show solidarity with Egypt’s political prisoners. White is the color worn by Egyptian prisoners in jail. Wearing white is an act of solidarity that will not detract from other messages delivered at COP27.

How to Participate

• Join in solidarity by wearing white. Whether attending COP or not, wear white wherever you are.
• Express your solidarity. Change your avatar or banner, post a graphic, or record a video that explains why you are participating.
• Share the photo, video or other “White Out” item using #FreeThemAll to share your experience.

Authorities in Egypt have shown no genuine will to acknowledge, let alone address, the country’s deep-rooted human rights crisis despite launching a National Human Rights Strategy one year ago. Instead, they have continued to stifle freedoms and commit crimes under international law in the lead up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27).

In a new report “Disconnected from Reality”: Egypt’s National Human Rights Strategy covers up human rights crisis, Amnesty International presents a detailed analysis of the strategy in light of the human rights situation on the ground, revealing how authorities have used it as a propaganda tool to conceal ever growing repression of any form of dissent ahead of COP27 in November 2022.

Read the full report on the Amnesty International website.

Annual Human Rights report for Egypt, 2021

The rights to freedom of expression and association were severely repressed. Authorities targeted human rights defenders, opposition politicians and other activists through unlawful summons, coercive questioning, extrajudicial probation measures, criminal investigations, unfair prosecutions and inclusion on a “list of terrorists”. Thousands of people, including human rights defenders, journalists, students, opposition politicians, business owners and peaceful protesters, remained arbitrarily detained.

Dozens were convicted after grossly unfair trials or were tried by emergency courts on charges stemming from the peaceful exercise of their human rights. Enforced disappearances and torture continued unabated. Conditions of detention remained cruel and inhuman, and prisoners were denied adequate healthcare, which led or contributed to at least 56 deaths in custody. Death sentences were handed down after grossly unfair trials and executions were carried out, including for drug offenses.

Authorities failed to adequately investigate or punish sexual and gender-based violence, and introduced legislation further undermining women’s rights and autonomy. LGBTI individuals were arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to long prison terms on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Authorities clamped down on labour strikes, independent unions and workers expressing grievances or criticism. The Covid-19 vaccine roll-out was marred by delays in vaccinating those most at risk, among other things. Residents of informal settlements were forcibly evicted and detained for protesting.

Authorities discriminated against Christians in law and practice, and prosecuted members of religious minorities and those espousing religious opinions not sanctioned by the state. Refugees and migrants were arbitrarily detained indefinitely for crossing borders irregularly, and forcibly expelled without due process or access to asylum procedures.

Read the full report on the Amnesty International website.