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The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights Annual report 1999-2000 |
eohr@eohr.org info@eohr.org
eohr@link.com.eg
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Introduction
Section One Section Two : Section Three Section Four |
The Human Rights Situation in Egypt Violations of Human Rights 2000-2001 The Organization in Confrontation Section Four The Organization in Confrontation-First- The Refusal to Register the EOHR as a civil NGO.Throughout the Year 2000 the EOHR has presented documents requesting its acknowledgement as civil NGO under the official name of "The Association of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights." All the necessary paper-work had been completed and presented to the Ministry of Social Affairs; and following the meetings held between the organization's lawyers and the authorities at the Ministry of Social Affairs the organization was recognized, as of 26/07/2000, by decree of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs, as an official civil NGO registered as number 461/2000. The EOHR was surprised when, on 30/07/2000, it received a notification from the Ministry of Social Affairs, issued as Decree # 5804, overturning the registration of the EOHR as an official civil NGO. This was decided upon by certain unnamed security authorities opposing the EOHR's official registration due to certain unspecified reasons - official registration of the organization was denied and would be postponed indefinitely Although the decree denying the EOHR's registration was by all means a serious social setback, nevertheless, Egyptian civil society organizations won a great victory through the Supreme Constitutional Court's verdict, issued on 03/06/2000, declaring the unconstitutionality of NGO Law # 153/1999. The Supreme Constitutional Court's verdict, declared that it was the constitutional right of any citizen to form and/or join in an NGO if they so wished. This constitutional right, argued the Court, is a cornerstone in the foundation of a democratic society. Although the Ministry of Social Affairs' Decree # 5804 proved to be a major setback to the EOHR, it demonstrates the government's determination in curtailing the activities of civil organizations and in its attempts to limit the actions of human rights organizations - contradicting with the original official decree, previously issued, which had promised to respect human rights and lift restrictions placed on civil society institutions. The EOHR had called for the Board of Trustees to convene an emergency session, as of 03/08/2000, for the discussion of the issuance of Decree # 5804 regarding how this decree would affect the organization in terms of its legal dimensions and its ability to continue with its programs and activities. The Board of Trustees, and the EOHR in general, insisted on the continuation of its roles of fact-finding, field research, defending citizens' basic civil and social rights, ensuring the right to fair & just trials, and the monitoring of the condition of human rights in Egypt. Second - The Referral of the EOHR's Secretary General to the National Security's Supreme Court The Attorney General issued a decree for the referral of Mr. Hafez Abu Seeada to the National Security's Supreme Court as he was heading to France in order to partake in a conference dealing with the occurrence of forced disappearances within the countries of the Mediterranean organized by the International Federation for Human Rights. Abu Seeada was accused of violating Article 1 Section 2 of Military Decree # 4/1992 forbidding the reception of funds, requesting funding, or any other means of applying for emergency-relief funding or any other type of funding except through the Ministry of Social Affairs - following the issuance of its permission to do so. This decree was issued only one week after the EOHR had released its report regarding the events which had occurred in the Village of El-Koshh - during the village's second occurrence of unrest in which 21 individuals lost their lives in addition to the destruction of properties and stores. The solidarity displayed by many organizations, dignitaries, and prominent individuals from within Egypt and from abroad helped to insure the government's release of Abu Seeada. The Secretary-General was released soon afterwards and managed to attend the conference in Paris. The EOHR's Board of Trustees issued a declaration, on 28/02/2000, insuring the good intentions of the organization, its secretary-general, and its board of directors - the declaration also insured that its secretary-general was not guilty of any of the accusations attributed to him. |
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