WUNRN
Egypt -
Collaborative Statement Condemns Security Forces Raid on the
May 22, 2014 - The undersigned
organizations condemn the security forces storming of the
Egyptian security forces, alongside
security personnel dressed in civilian attire, raided the Alexandria Branch of
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, arresting 15, including two
minors, and two ECESR staff, and confiscating several computers and documents.
The arrested were taken to the Alexandria Security Department where they were
held, until released hours later.
Security forces raided ECESR’s
office while a press conference was being held in solidarity with imprisoned
labor activist Mahinour Al-Massry,
who was sentenced to two years in prison on charges of protesting. Al-Massry’s
appeal was recently rejected, and her sentence was reaffirmed.
The press conference came in solidarity with imprisoned activist Al-Massry, who
was taking part in a protest demanding justice for martyr ‘Khaled Said’,
tortured to death by security forces in 2010, the latter incident is considered
a driving force of the Egyptian Revolution in January 2011.
In addition, the undersigned
organizations express deep concerns about the sexual harassment and molestation of females attending
the press conference, by the security forces, which can only be considered an
attempt to discourage females from participating in the public space.
The aforementioned press conference
is part of ECESR’s ongoing campaign against the Protest Law No. 107/2013, which
was issued by Al-Beblawi’s government in November 2013. It also comes in light
of ECESR’s ongoing court case, disputing the constitutionality of the
aforementioned protest law.
It is noteworthy that this is
considered the second raid on ECESR premises in the past 6 months, and the
third since January 2011.
This raid comes in light of
systematic and widespread crackdown carried out by the interim regime of July
3rd on human rights defenders, in an attempt to silence the voices of those
speaking out against human rights violations committed by the security state,
and demanding justice and fair compensation to victims of human rights
violations.
Notably, this raid comes a few days
before the presidential elections in
The undersigned organizations
request the immediate release of all those detained and arrested for exercising
their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and calls for a
speedy end to these unfair practices, including the police harassment of civil
society organizations and human rights defenders. The state should stop
targeting human rights defenders, and restricting their work. In addition, we
call for immediate investigations into the sexual harassment that females faced
at the premises of ECESR at the hands of the security forces.
Finally, the undersigned
organizations articulate that they will take all legal measures against those
responsible for the raid of the ECESR office, and will register a complaint to
the High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as the relevant United Nations
Special Rapporteurs.
Signatories:
Cairo Institute for Human Rights
Studies
Egyptian Initiative for Personal
Rights
Association for Freedom of Thought
and Expression
Nazra for Feminist Studies
New Woman Foundation
Arabic Network for Human Rights
Information
Andalus institute for tolerance
& Anti-violence studies
National
Community for Human Rights and law
Egyptian
Foundation for Advancement of Childhood Conditions
Center for
Egyptian Women Legal Assistance
FIDH, within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human
Rights Defenders
World Organisation Against Torture
(OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human
Rights Defenders