The human rights committee at the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, issued a report on Friday in which it criticized Egypt for committing alleged human rights abuses. The report, which comes three weeks prior to Egypt's 28 November parliamentary elections, accused Egyptian authorities of targeting political opposition groups and carrying out random arrests and torture. “Our partners in Egypt have reported severe suppression in advance of the elections, saying that political freedoms of those opposing the government have shrunk dramatically,” the report noted. “Not only do Egyptian police carry out random arrests and torture against opposition activists and regular citizens, but policemen are also counted on to intimidate and spread terror,” the report added. The report also noted that political activists, bloggers and journalists were under “intense pressure,” pointing out that many were subject to random arrest and possible imprisonment. The parliamentary committee also asserted that religious and press freedoms in Egypt were being consistently violated. It also criticized the way in which homosexuals were allegedly treated by authorities. According to the report, Egypt's small Baha'i community is being targeted by the state press, while its members are considered outlaws by the Egyptian government. The report found that members of the Baha'i community were not allowed to practice their religion, and that the government did not recognize marriages between Baha'is or issue birth certificates to their children. Nor do they receive social insurance or have the right to enroll their children in Egyptian public schools, according to the report. The report also discussed Egypt's Christian community, noting that Coptic Christians were discriminated against in certain sectors and prevented from reaching top positions. It also said Coptic Christians found it difficult to obtain official permits to build churches. The committee further said that homosexuals in Egypt--especially “poor homosexuals”--were being targeted by police and were liable to imprisonment for between three and six months. They are also occasionally victims of theft and blackmail, the report noted. In response, the Egyptian Embassy in Berlin issued a statement condemning the parliamentary committee's findings, describing them as “subjective” and “not reflective of the situation in Egypt.” Translated from the Arabic Edition.
