GENEVA - Egypt came under review Wednesday for the first time at the United Nations Human Rights Council for its rights record. The open process is part of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, instituted along with the establishment of the council in 2006, which aims to check each country's record once every four years. Egypt said it was improving laws on trafficking in human beings and bills to prevent female genital mutilation, and was also drafting new legislation for the protection of women's rights. Western countries criticised the emergency laws in effect in the North African country since 1981, along with related restrictions on freedom of press, expression and unions. Egypt's delegation was asked to supply information on journalists and bloggers in prison under the emergency law. Several countries raised concerns over the use of the death penalty, torture and illegal detentions. Problems related to violence against religious minorities were also put on the council's table. In the lead up to the review, Human Rights Watch had called on Egypt to repeal the emergency laws and also stop the use of lethal force to prevent migrants from sneaking across the border into neighboring Israel.
