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The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights Press |
eohr@eohr.org
info@eohr.org
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Press release EOHR calls for the immediate release of Anti-Iraq war protesters EOHR remains deeply concerned about the continued detention of activists arrested following recent Anti-Iraq protests. A number of peaceful assemblies have taken place around Cairo in the Book Fair, El Sayeda Zenab , El Sayeda Eisha, El Azhar, at the American Embassy and at the Arab League Building. A number of citizens[1] were arrested by Egyptian security forces and presented some of them before the State Security Prosecutor who ordered their detention for 15 days pending investigations of charges relating to possession of pamphlets and disrupting public peace. A number of individuals received administrative detention decrees and are now held in El Mazraat prison and El Zeraa compound in Tora prison, south of Cairo. An EOHR fact finding mission was told by eye-witnesses that protesters expressed their opinions peacefully during demonstrations. In this regard, EOHR condemns the use of coercive procedures taken against peaceful protesters and, more broadly, the restrictions placed on the right to freedom of opinion and expression by the Law of Assembly (No.10 of 1914 as amended by Presidential decree No. 87 of 1958 and the Emergency Law). Whilst the authorities have released Mr. Ibrahim El Sahari, a journalist at Akhbar El Alam World News, EOHR remains concerned for the fate of the remaining detainees. The arrest and detention of the protesters is a clear violation of basic constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and the right to the freedom of opinion and expression as contained in domestic and international law. Article 47 of the Egyptian Constitution provides that: “Freedom of opinion is guaranteed. Every individual has the right to express his opinion and to publicize it verbally or in writing or by photography or by other means…”. Additionally, Article 54 provides that “Citizens shall have the right to peaceable and unarmed private assembly, without the need for prior notice”. Attachment 1
[1] See the attached table |
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