Hassan: Gov’t has treaty obligation to accept int’l monitoring of HR violations

Hassan: Gov’t has treaty obligation to accept int’l monitoring of HR violations


In a parliamentary question presented to Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, Hassan pointed out that there is a 2001 treaty between Egypt and   the European Union, in which Article (2) stipulated that the relationship between the parties as well as all provisions of the Agreement must respect democratic principles and fundamental human rights. He added that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights chartered that an essential element of this agreement maintains that the EU has the right to review the Egyptian government in event of mishaps reported  during incidents including elections, referring to the events during last month’s mid-term Shura elections, wihich was marred by harassments and assaults against candidates and voters, and the lack of respect for the judiciary.

Hassan asserted that the authorities’ anger is hypcratical since the government enthusiastically welcomed 50 million euros from the European Union in support of human rights in Egypt, and did not regard this as meddling in its internal affairs, while vehemently objected to the statement released by the Union which condemned the use of violence against citizens.