UN experts condemn Egypt as clampdown “tightens the
noose” on women’s rights movement
GENEVA (15 December 2016) – A group of United Nations
experts* has strongly condemned Egypt for escalating its action against women
human rights defenders and women rights groups as part of a continuing
clampdown on civil society.
“The Government’s actions are preventing women human
rights defenders from conducting their legitimate activities and professions,
and are leaving thousands of women in need of support and security,” the
experts said. “The noose is tightening around the women’s rights movement, and
this is having a direct and considerable impact on human rights.”
The experts highlighted the arrest of lawyer Azza
Soliman, a prominent human rights defender who founded the Centre for Egyptian
Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA). She
was detained on 7 December and questioned by an investigative judge over the
highly controversial case 173/2011, which centres on foreign funding of
non-governmental organizations in Egypt.
“The arrest and investigation of Azza Soliman
demonstrates that the repression of Egypt’s human rights movement has escalated
to a higher level,” the experts said with concern. “Ms. Soliman is a central
figure in the country’s independent women’s rights movement. Targeting her
sends a strong negative signal from the Government about its hostile position
towards women’s rights defenders.”
“The Government must immediately repeal all repressive
measures against human rights defenders, including travel bans and legislation
that criminalizes legitimate activities, as they are not in compliance with
Egypt’s obligations under international human rights law,” they added.
Despite being freed on bail, Ms. Soliman still faces
charges of having received foreign funding that may “harm the state interest”,
having established an entity that conducts activities similar to that of
associations’ activities and tax evasion.
The group of experts stressed that the action against Ms.
Soliman was not an isolated case.
“We are highly concerned that other human rights
defenders have been charged with similar offences in recent months,” they
noted. “Hundreds of other human rights defenders are living under the threat of
persecution and imprisonment. Many are being prevented from travelling and are
seeing their assets or those of their organisations frozen.”
The experts highlighted that during a court session on 12
December concerning the decision to freeze Azza Soliman’s assets and those of
her law firm, a request was made to take similar action against several other
human rights defenders. These included another woman human rights defender,
Mozn Hassan - who is already subject to a travel ban - and her organization
Nazra for Feminist Studies.
On 14 December, the North Cairo Court confirmed the
decision to freeze Azza Soliman’s assets and those of her law firm, while it
postponed the verdict issuance for the asset freeze of Mozn Hassan and her
organization to 11 January 2017.
“The continuous persecution of women human rights
defenders such as Azza Soliman and Mozn Hassan through the investigation of
case 173/2011 establishes and reinforces a pattern of systematic repression of
the Egyptian women’s rights movement, aiming to silence and intimidate those
working tirelessly for justice, human rights and equality,” the experts said.
(*) The experts: Ms. Alda Facio, Chair-Rapporteur of the
Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in
practice; Mr. Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
defenders; Mr. David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection
of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Mr. Maina Kiai, Special
Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association;
and Ms. Dubravka Šimonović, Special
Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences.
ENDS
Special Rapporteur and Working Groups are part of what is
known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special
Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights
system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and
monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or
thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on
a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their
work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in
their individual capacity. For more information, log on to:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Welcomepage.aspx
UN Human Rights, Country Page – Egypt:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/MENARegion/Pages/EGIndex.aspx
For more information and media requests, please contact
Ms. Claire Mathellié (+41 22 917 9151 / wgdiscriminationwomen@ohchr.org )
You can access this press release at:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21039&LangID=E
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experts:
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