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Hafez Abu Seada responds to Nahdat Masr and el Hayat allegations: Human rights organisations in Egypt do not sully Egypt's reputation
23/6/2005
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) is appalled by accusations that reports produced by human rights groups on human rights violations and torture in prisons and police stations sully Egypt's reputation, says EOHR Secretary General Hafez Abu Seada, members of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR).
Abu Seada rejected the manner in which the People's Assembly Human Rights Committee deals with long-established human rights groups. Rather than being based on mutual cooperation as is the relationship between government institutions and human rights NGOs in other countries the Human Rights Committee not only uses aggressive language against these organisations but furthermore accuses them of sullying Egypt's reputation and that of its security bodies. The basic concern of these organisations is the Egyptian citizen and his political, economic and social rights and fighting violations of these rights. They in no way seek to damage national interests as is alleged.
As to the doubts expressed about the accuracy of torture and human rights violations documented in the NCHR's first annual report, Abu Seada responded by saying that torture in Egypt is an established, systematic policy. EOHR documented 292 torture cases between 1993 and 2004, and 120 cases in which the victim concerned died as a result of suspected torture or mistreatment. In 2004 EOHR monitored 42 cases of torture and 23 deaths, while in 2005 it has so far monitored 27 case of torture and 5 deaths. The NCHR Complaints Committee has received 74 complaints of torture and informed the Interior Minister of them. It has so far not received any response.
Abu Seada added that since the establishment of the People's Assembly Human Rights Committee it has not confronted any human rights issue nor examined certain laws which violate international human rights instruments ratified by Egypt and which have been incorporated into domestic legislation under article 151 of the Constitution. Rather, it justifies human rights abuses and accuses local NGOs of seeking to sully the country's reputation, while it is individuals who cover up for human rights violations, torture and arbitrary arrest that should be held responsible for harming Egypt's reputation. Supporting this view is the resignation of Adel Eid from the Human Rights Committee because of his inability to play a true and effective role in the defence of human rights in Egypt and because of the dictatorial culture of the Committee.
Abu Seada closed by reaffirming that unlike parliamentary committees in other countries, the People's Assembly Human Rights Committee is unique in that it defends the perpetrators of human rights violations at the expense of their victims and opposes human rights groups who defend these victims.
In its meeting yesterday the People's Assembly Human Rights Committee witnessed an attack on human rights groups, according to articles published in al Hayat and Nahdat Masr issued on the 23rd May 2005.
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