Egyptian Human Rights Organizations in Solidarity

Egyptian Human Rights Organizations in Solidarity with Tunisian
Activists on Hunger Strike
 
Egyptian human rights organisations today expressed solidarity and support for Tunisian activists on a hunger strike for over ten days. The Egyptian NGOs have placed the blame on the Tunisian government and Tunisian President Zeinelabidin Bin Ali and hold them responsible for the safety of the hunger strikers.

On the 18th October Tunisian activists, advocates of freedom and human rights defenders Mokhtar Yahyaoui, Lotfi Hadji, Nejib Chebbi, Abderraouf Ayadi, Hamma Hammai, Mohamed Nouri, Ayachi Hammami and Samir Dillo went on a hunger strike in demand for their fundamental rights violated by the Tunisian government. At the forefront of their demands were free media, freedom of expression and the lifting of restrictions placed on rights defenders and NGOs, the Tunisian Journalists Syndicate, the Association of Judges and the release of opinion-and-press-related prisoners.

The activists’ hunger strike comes at a time when the Tunisian government continues its crackdown on rights and freedoms and insists on its repressive and oppressive practices manifested in a crackdown on rights defenders and NGOs as well as opposition parties and the silencing of voices and opinions, not to mention physical assault against those opposing the government’s repressive practices.

Egyptian rights groups reiterate that this hunger strike is a mean to unravel the repressive practices of the government which has successfully occupied a leading position amidst repressive states, not only in Northern Africa, but in the entire Arab World. They also confirmed that no matter how long the Tunisian authorities’ repression lasts and its iron fist prevails, it shall collapse like the dictatorships of Latin American and Africa in the 1970s.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information

Hisham Mubarak Law Center

Nadeem Center for Psychological Therapy and Rehabilitation of the Victims of Violence

Egyptian Association against Torture

The Egyptian Center for the Rights of the Child

Rural Studies Center

Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

Habi Center for Environmental Rights

Egyptian Association for the Support of the Democratic Development

The Association for Human Rights Legal Aid