Press release
Cairo: 15/10/2003

A Strike in the Kings’ Valley in Luxur

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) is deeply concerned about the strike made by a number of young owners of a tourist transportation project in the area of the Kings’ Valley in Luxur.

 The fact-finding mission sent by EOHR was informed that the said owners were astonished to find out that they are not allowed to resume their work. One of them named Ahmed Mohammed Abu El Magd was arrested and is now at Bandar El Aqsur police station. They gathered in the headquarters of Al Wafd party in Luxur and declared strike protesting against the violations they are undergoing without any legal cause.

It is noteworthy that on October 4, 2003, they were banned from resuming their work i.e. transportation of tourists. Consequently, they made a food strike. Afterwards, they were promised by the authorities that they will not be subjected to such violations anymore and that they can resume their work. Since such promises were not fulfilled, six of the owners of the project made a strike in the headquarters of Al Wafd party in Luxur and it is still going on.

The said persons confirmed that they have to pay the installments due to the Social Fund and that banning them from resuming their work might lead them to be imprisoned for failing to pay such dues.

EOHR expresses its deep concern about the ongoing detention of one of the owners of the project without charging him with a definite accusation and without referring him to any judicial body. EOHR deems such practices as a flagrant violation of the right to freedom and personal safety and a breach of the international instruments concerned with human rights.

 EOHR regards such detention as being arbitrary and void of any legal grounds since the said owners had all the required licenses from the authorities.

Therefore, EOHR calls for investigating the incidents of arrest and detention. Moreover, it calls for the immediate release of the said person. It also appeals to the Minister of Interior to conduct an administrative investigation and to stop arbitrary measures taken against youth.