Brotherhood MP: EOHR Report Should Be Positively Addressed By Gov’t

Brotherhood MP: EOHR Report Should Be Positively Addressed By Gov’t

Commenting on the latest EOHR annual report, MP Sabry Amir (member of the MB parliamentary bloc) criticized the Egyptian government for its deteriorating human rights record, and called on the government to take the latest EOHR report seriously.


 


 


He said the human rights situation needs to be effectively addressed by civil society organizations and rights groups as well as independent, MB, and opposition parliamentarians to exert more pressure on the government.


 


“Egypt has violated the first article of the UN treaty when it decided to passively amend the constitution, especially article 179 and the renewal of emergency law”, said Hafiz Abu Sedah, Secretary General of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) during a press conference for the declaration of the annual report issued by the EOHR regarding the human rights conditions in 2007.


 


The report disclosed the worsening economic rights, increase of torture practices by 40% compared to 2006. The EOHR reported the death of 14 citizens due to torture in 2008 as well as arbitrary arrest and collective punishment of 18 cases during 2007 mainly for economic and social disputes.


 


Further, the report said five persons were denied travel during 2007.


 


Regarding the arbitrary procedures practiced against journalists in 2007, the report emphasized that there had been 28 lawsuits filed before the courts as well as other violations committed against the Egyptians abroad due to the negligence of the diplomatic missions and embassies and other problems of those working outside the country, mainly the sponsor system that the EOHR has been calling for its cancellation and pursuing new systems in their favor.