To The Egyptian Government

To The Egyptian Government

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, ANHRI, is following the frenzy declarations of the Egyptian government advocating for the efforts done to overcome the expected difficult situation ahead of it on February 2010 upon discussing the Egyptian report in the World Council of Human Rights (UPR) in Geneva.

The last of these declarations was that of Mofeed Shehab, minister of the legal affairs of chambers of deputies to Al Dostor newspaper about alleged laws to improve human rights.

Formerly, he held meetings with human rights organizations and high government officials such as the prosecutor general and officials of the home office, foreign affairs, justice and social solidarity to discuss how to improve Egyptian government image in front of the World Council of Human Rights.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information wishes whole heatedly that the Egyptian government is keen to improve human rights condition , yet ANHRI is quite cautious regarding these efforts and declarations especially that the Egyptian government did not admit the existence of any problem to start with. The Egyptian government mentioned nothing to be the reason behind the deteriorating human rights condition in Egypt in the last four years monitored in the report. The main reasons are the absent political will to improve human rights condition, structured torture practices in police stations and state security locations and the spreading impunity syndrome marked by missing or sluggish prosecution of offenders and torturers.

ANHRI stated that, " There might be a need for new legislations and for some modifications on the existing laws, but the lacking political will to activate these laws will only result in more falling back. The return of Islam Nabih, torture convict, to serve once more as a police officer and the kidnap and torture of bloggers and common citizens under the emergency law are outstanding and clear examples of an absent political will and of the impunity syndrome."

ANHRI added, " Improving the conditions of human rights will not result from eloquent statements or shelved laws. The better will never stem out of forged statements of complicit human rights organizations that cover for government crimes under the name of "faults" .

The conditions of human rights will only improve by measures and practices,by respecting the law and combating impunity. The state should consider the civil society as an associate not as rival or follower.

When the Egytpian citizen is no more scared of the police officer and when the citizen trusts the existence of the prosecution to protect civil rights and defend citizens from who ever violates their rights, when those tasks are accomplished, then talking about intentions to improve human rights conditions in Egypt is credible.