EOHR “Al-Shater and his companions should be released immediately”

EOHR “Al-Shater and his companions should be released immediately”

 Hafez Abu Seada, Chairman of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights called on the Ministry of Interior to immediately release Khairat al-Shater, Deputy Chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood, and four other MB leaders detained in the latest military case which resulted in the unjust sentencing of the men to 7 years despite numerous acquittals by civilian courts.

He stressed that their deteriorating health conditions necessitates them to be released similar to the conditions which promoted  Ayman Nour, chairman of Al-Ghad party’s early release.

 In a press conference held yesterday Abu Seada stressed that the annual EOHR report on the human rights situation in 2009 reflects the deteriorating human rights conditions in Egypt due to working under the emergency-law which he considered to be the main reason behind the continued violations and deterioration to the condition.

He also commented that the EOHR had submitted recommendations to modify the committee supervising elections. The first was to offer full judicial supervision over elections and the second is to have the elections monitored by an independent party committee or a coalition committee. He stressed that this was essential following the rigged elections which favored the NDP ruling party during the last mid-term Shura elections.

Abu Seada asserted that Egypt needed a national committee from all national and political parties to form a new constitution for Egypt , stressing on the importance of strengthening the independence of the judiciary and respecting the work of lawyers who contribute in providing justice in Egypt .

He pointed out that the committee supervising elections has insulted the National Council for Human Rights by preventing NGOs from supervising elections in addition to banning all TV channels from their legitimate right to live broadcasting of elections.

 Abu Seada accused the government of accepting foreign funding for state councils including human Rights, Women, Childhood and Motherhood rights, while prohibiting non-governmental organizations from receiving funds from the same sources.

He criticized the Interior’s justifications regarding human rights violations asserting that police officers are not held accountable for their continued use of torture and violation of the rights of citizens.

He criticized the case of Khaled Saeed who has come to be known as the Emergency Law martyr” stressing it had a negative impact on Egypt ’s foreign relations, demonstrated during the EU and foreign ambassador’s efforts to investigate in Cairo . He maintained that he will suggest the implementation of the International Convention against Torture in the first upcoming hearing of the Khaled Saeed’s case as he is the victim’s family attorney lawyer.

The account monitored 12 cases of death by torture in the detention centres and police stations in 2009 where the Menia governorate recorded the highest number 3 cases were recorded in Cairo and Gharbeya with 2 cases and one case in the Monofeya, Kafr el-Sheikh, Daqahleya, Beheira, and North Sinai constituencies.

EOHR monitored 29 cases of torture in different governorates. Egypt and Port Said had 7 cases each, in addition to 71 cases of arbitrary detention, and 56 forced disappearances.

There were also 24 cases of discrimination and ill-treatment in police stations as opposed to 13 cases in 2008. EOHR provided that there were 474 cases of violations against prisoners detained in poor health care conditions which ultimately resulted in three deaths.

 The report also monitored 39 cases of violations against Egyptians abroad, including 16 in Saudi Arabia , 5 in Qatar , 4 in Libya , 2 in Kuwait and Yemen and 1 in Iraq , Somalia , Emirates, Tunisia , Eretria , USA , France , Hungary , Germany and Italy .

 With regards to economic and social rights, EOHR monitored 230 cases including 38 violations of the right to work, 7 to the right to education, 45 to the right to housing, 32 to the right of health care, 21 to the right of a clean environment, 35 to the right to food and 19 to the right of social security.

 The report included a section on Egypt in the Universal Periodic Review, where it criticized the government’s prevention of the UN Special Rapportuer on Torture from visiting prisons, detention centres and police stations.