Press Release
The Committee for Justice (CFJ), in collaboration with “DIGNITY,” “REDRESS,” “OMCT,” and “RFK” organizations, organized a side event titled “Human Rights in Egypt: The Wide-ranging Impact of the New Criminal Procedure Law.”
This event occurred on the sidelines of the 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center, in the Western Cape, Banjul, The Gambia.
The event focused on the increasing grave human rights violations in Egypt over the past decade, including torture, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials. It emphasized that these systematic violations have been documented in resolutions issued by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as in reports by relevant UN bodies.
Despite repeated calls from the African Commission for legislative reforms, Egypt has continued to use its national laws to stifle political opposition and human rights defenders, further entrenching violations of the rule of law.
The event also highlighted that the new amendments to Egypt’s Criminal Procedure Law pose a significant threat. They grant law enforcement authorities more powers to suppress political opposition and reinforce impunity for those involved in human rights abuses, which constitutes a violation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, particularly Articles 5, 6, and 7.
Additionally, the event warned that these amendments increase the risk of arbitrary arrests and prosecutions of human rights defenders, undermining their freedom to work, and threatening to restrict civil society and weaken freedom of assembly, violating Article 10 of the African Charter. The event stressed the importance of implementing the African Commission’s decisions regarding Egypt as part of efforts to address these violations.
Several human rights experts participated in the event. Ahmed Mefreh, the executive director CFJ, spoke about the current situation in Egypt and the impact of the proposed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law.
And Alejandra Vicente from “REDRESS” provided a legal analysis of the amendments and their effects on the Egyptian legal system, while Iketchukwu Uzoma from the “RFK Foundation” focused on the role of the international community in confronting these challenges. The discussion was moderated by Kalia Campanella from “DIGNITY,” who also facilitated the debate among participants.
