Egyptian pound wavers vs. USD in early trade    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    Egypt's PM meets Tokyo governor, witnesses signing of education agreements    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Egypt's Sisi, France's Macron discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts in phone call    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Indian tourist arrivals to Egypt jump 18.8% in H1-2025: ministry data    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Egypt violating its own laws: HRW
Recent report focuses on forced disappearances through security forces
Published in Daily News Egypt on 21 - 07 - 2015

In its latest report on Egypt, released Monday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) once again accuses Egyptian security forces of being involved in conducting forced disappearances, under national and international law, and state prosecutors of failing to properly investigate complaints over such cases.
HRW lists several cases of alleged forced disappearances, such as the case of Islam Ateeto, who was killed on 20 May. Security forces claimed he was killed during a shootout after he opened fire on them near his ‘hideout' close to Cairo's Fifth Settlement. Footage collected by his family and fellow students however indicated he had been arrested at his university following an exam.
The report also relies on information by the state-affiliated National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), which had verified nine cases of forced disappearances by 31 May and had 55 cases under review by 9 June. It also features findings by Egyptian organisation "Freedom for the Brave", which claims to have documented 164 such cases, with 66 cases in which the whereabouts of those vanished remain unknown.
The picture painted by HRW hints towards a widespread practice, with some detained persons like Ateeto, and the likewise mentioned Sabry Al-Ghoul, dying under mysterious circumstances. Often the death is blamed on "acute circulatory failure". Others, like the disabled Esraa Al-Taweel, vanished and could only be tracked down by concerned family members investigating their whereabouts.
Ragia Omran of the NCHR confirmed to Daily News Egypt that there were cases of forced disappearances, many traced back to security forces. She stated that these were especially problematic, since in such cases families were often left "anxiously" wondering where their relatives had gone.
Mohamed Lotfy, founder of the independent Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, is quoted by HRW as saying: "What is the use of receiving and reviewing complaints, while no one is answering them back."
Egypt is a party in several international conventions prohibiting many practices that are integral parts of defining forced disappearances, such as prolonged detention without being charged and failure by security forces to inform close relatives of the whereabouts of their family member.
Moreover, Egypt's penal code itself prohibits detaining individuals for longer than 24 hours without raising charges, while a judge is allowed to prolong the detention only after four days from the arrest.
HRW, among other human rights organisations like Amnesty International, is locked in a struggle with Egyptian authorities over its reports. The Foreign Ministry criticised HRW for its "non-objective reports consistently issued for Egypt since the 30 June revolution".


Clic here to read the story from its source.