The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the dismissal of 70 workers from four factories affiliated with the Oriental Weavers Group in the 10th of Ramadan City, in what constitutes a collective arbitrary dismissal, following their exercise of their legitimate right to express themselves and discuss their employment conditions through a closed Facebook group.
According to workers’ testimonies, the dismissal decisions were preceded by pressure and threats aimed at forcing them to submit their resignations—an attempt they refused. Consequently, the administration terminated their employment without any serious professional misconduct and in violation of the Egyptian Labor Law.
CFJ condemned the violations the workers were subjected to, which included monitoring and breaching their personal accounts, conducting sham investigations lacking basic fair‑trial guarantees, imposing intrusive physical searches, humiliating treatment, and attempts to coerce some of them into resigning—constituting a clear assault on human dignity and the right to privacy.
The committee affirmed that the dismissals were carried out as punitive and retaliatory measures in response to the workers’ legitimate labor demands, chiefly wage improvements amid rising living costs. CFJ considered the incident a violation of the Constitution and the law, and an unlawful criminalization of peaceful labor activism.
CFJ reiterated its full solidarity with the workers of Oriental Weavers and stressed the importance of responding to their demands and fulfilling their legitimate needs, particularly the application of the minimum wage. The committee underscored the necessity of safeguarding workers’ rights and preserving their dignity.
