The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) was founded in 1985 as one of the oldest and premier non-governmental organization (NGO) and its headquarter in Cairo.
EOHR has a national membership of 2,300 and has seventeen provincial branches located throughout Egypt.
EOHR is non-profitable NGO working within the framework of the principles established in Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all other international human rights instruments regardless of the identity or the affiliation of the victim(s) or of the violator(s). It acts against both governmental and non-governmental human rights violations.
EOHR is part of the International and Arab human rights movement and it cooperates with the United Nations and its bodies concerned with human rights and the international and regional organization for human rights as well as it establishes contacts with these organizations to exchange support .
EOHR Legal Status:
EOHR was registered in the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2003 under registration No. 5220/2003
EOHR's International Status:
EOHR was granted a Special Constitutive with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2006. This consultative status enables EOHR to enhance its activities and interaction with the United Nations by participating in the activities of the International Council for Human Rights, according to ECOSOC decision 31/1996, aiming to reinforce the principles of human rights stipulated in the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, Vienna Declaration and all other international human rights documents. EOHR is also a member of five international organizations; the Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR), L' Organization Mondiale Contre La Torture (OMCT), Federation International Des Droits De L'Homme (FIDH), the International Commission for Jurists(ICJ), and the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX).
EOHR 's Goals:
1. Full respect for human rights and the basic freedoms all Egyptians as well as non-Egyptians who are in Egypt according to the Universal Declaration of Human rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) as well as the United Nations Declaration on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. EOHR defenses the human rights of all individuals and groups that are violated using all means and methods that conform to its goals.
2. The reform of Egyptian legislation, constitution so that they will be in accordance with international human rights covenants and conventions.
3. The promotion of the rule of law and of full respect for an independent judiciary.
4. Guaranteeing the right to participation in public affairs without discrimination because of opinion or religion or sex or race or color.
5. Guaranteeing the freedoms of opinion and expression as well as the artistic and literary invention.
6. Guaranteeing the freedoms of belief, thought and religion.
7. Fair trials for all defendants before the competent judges regardless to the kind of the charge as well as presenting the legal aid to those defendants if possible and necessary.
8. Calling upon the release of the people who are detained or whose freedoms are restricted because they express their opinion peacefully or because of their beliefs or religion or race or sex or color.
9. Providing legal Aid to the victims of the freedom of expression and opinion as well as Assisting the prisoners and detainees who subject to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
10. The internal regulations, punishments in prisons and the treatment of prisoners should be in conformity with the International instruments regarding the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
Work methods:
EOHR adopts peaceful methods to promote and defend human rights. It believes that the promotion of human rights is a common goal for the entire world community and is determined to spare no peaceful effort in its struggle against human rights violations. In its fight for human rights, EOHR:
1- Sends fact-finding missions including visiting the prisons in order to collect testimonies as well as to ascertain and document the information about human rights violations.
2- Issues urgent appeals, press releases, reports and publications on human rights violations.
3- Promote and spread human rights awareness among individuals and groups through publications, conferences, seminars and studies. 4- Contacts the Egyptian governmental and non-governmental bodies and institutions as well as the international, regional and national organizations to cooperate with them to get information and to take action to respect and enhance human rights.
Organizational Structure:
The General Assembly of fee-paying members holds supreme authority in EOHR. A General Assembly meeting is convened once every other year to review and evaluate the organization's progress and to elect the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is the policy-making body within the EOHR and is led by the Chairman. It is made up of fifteen elected members and up to four other prominent figures in the field of human rights selected by the Board of Trustees itself can be invited to join.
The Executive Board is elected by the Board of Trustees and consists of the Secretary-General, the Treasurer and representatives of the main committees of the organization. The Executive Board, led by the Secretary-General, is responsible for the day by day activities of the EOHR and for any decisions made in the interim period between meetings of the Board of Trustees.
EOHR has five substantive and inter-linked departments. These are the Field Work Unit, the Women's Legal Aid Project (WLAP), the Research and Publications Desk, the International and Translation Unit and the Refugees' Legal Aid Project.
1- The Field Work Unit: consists of a team of lawyers trained in investigative work. They receive individual allegations of human rights violations and investigate each case's merits. Much of their work takes place in the field, on the ground, in prisons, in court, in detention centers, in homes, anywhere information can be found. The investigating lawyer writes an official report on each case.
Then, depending on the nature and the merits of the case, the case may be removed from consideration or investigated further. Appeals and requests for information may be made to competent authorities and complainants may receive free legal counsel so that he can be able to pursue a formal suit. All services made available to victims of human rights violations are absolutely free of charge.
2- The Women's Legal Aid Project (WLAP): manages the human rights problems dealing with the unique women's issues. Such problems include marital and family issues and sexual discrimination. WLAP does most of the work supporting the campaigns that focus on women's issues and coordinates an educational and training program aimed at increasing women's legal literacy in Egypt's poorer areas.
3- The Research and Publications Unit : conducts academic research of human rights issues, analyzes the raw material of human rights abuses supplied by the Field Work Unit and the WLAP. This desk is responsible for producing EOHR's reports and is our routine link to the Arab media.
4- The International and Translation Unit: coordinate EOHR's partnerships with other human rights organizations throughout the non-Arab world. This desk also coordinates our endless battle to equip us with the financial resources necessary to meet our objectives. Moreover, it is responsible for translating all EOHR's literature into English so that it can be shared with the English-speaking world.
5- Refuge Legal Aid Project: This project is established in 2001, which is a joint project with EOHR and the American University in Cairo . This unit provides legal aid to those who seek refugee status in Egypt and it works within the framework of the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR).
Current Campaigns:
- Campaign Against Torture
- Campaign Against Inhumane Prison Conditions
- Campaign for the Defense of Freedom of Thought and Belief
- Campaign to Restore the Rights of Egyptian Prisoners of War
- Campaign to Cancel the Emergency State in Egypt
Publications:
- A human rights magazine, Huqooq Al Insaan.
- A news bulletin, EOHR News.
- Reports on particular areas of human rights violations.
- Press releases, statements and appeals on specific cases.
- Special reports presented to the UN bodies -- in particular, the UN Human Rights Commission.
- An annual anthology of EOHR's press releases, statements, appeals and reports entitled In Defense of Human Rights.
- The papers and proceedings of EOHR's "Annual Intellectual Forum" conferences.
- An annual report on the human rights situation in Egypt.
- Pamphlets and other written materials used to popularize human rights issues.
- These publications are available for distribution. If you would like to receive copies of all EOHR publications or only select ones, please contact us.
EOHR is registered with the United Nations and has an observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. It is also a member of four organizations that hold a consultative status with the United Nations' Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). These are the Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR), l'Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT), Federation Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l'Homme (FIDH), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), EOHR has also been a member of the International Freedom of _Expression Exchange (IFEX) since 1996.
EOHR board members:
Mr. Hisham Kassem : The President
Mr.Ahmed Abdel Hafeez : Vice-president
Ms. Anisa Hassouna : Vice-president
Mr. Hafez Abu Seada : The Secretary General
Mr. Abu El Kassem El Nubi : Treasurer
Mr. Ahmed Abd El Malak. : Member
Dr. Moustafa Kamel el Said : Member
Mr. Gasser Abd El Razek : Member
Mr. Reda Tolba : Member
Mr. Abdallah Abd Ellateef : Member
Mrs. Fareda El Nakash.: Member
Mr. Naser Amin : Member
Ms. Ghada Shahbandar : Member
Mr. Samir Zaki : Member
Mr. Mabrouk Abdel Maksoud: Member
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