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On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances: Committee for Justice Calls on Egypt to Criminalize the Practice and End the Policy of Impunity

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Every year on August 30, the world marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances—a reminder of one of the gravest violations of the right to liberty and security, and a call to recognize its devastating impact on individuals, families, and entire communities. The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which entered into force in 2010, clearly affirms that no exceptional circumstances—whether war, political instability, or states of emergency—can ever justify this crime.

In Egypt, however, authorities remain far from meeting their international obligations. Egyptian law still fails to comprehensively criminalize enforced disappearances, and the provisions of the Convention have not been incorporated into domestic legislation. At the same time, the judiciary—dominated by the executive branch—shows little willingness to pursue accountability, while emergency and anti-terrorism laws are systematically used to shield perpetrators rather than prosecute them.

Since July 2013, the Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented more than 659 cases of enforced disappearance in Egypt, with authorities consistently denying responsibility, obstructing investigations, and targeting human rights defenders and journalists seeking to expose the truth. In its recent submission to the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances, CFJ highlighted the gendered dimensions of this crime, noting that enforced disappearances have become an institutionalized tool of political repression. Women are frequently targeted either for their activism or due to family ties with perceived dissidents. Recurring cases include Shaima Taha Abdel Hamid and Salma Abdel Majeed Abdullah, who have both endured multiple disappearances.

The consequences of this crime extend far beyond the victims themselves. Families—especially mothers and wives—face constant harassment, economic marginalization, and social stigma in their pursuit of justice, further deepening their psychological and social suffering.

On this International Day, CFJ reiterates its call on the Egyptian authorities to explicitly criminalize enforced disappearances in national law, guarantee judicial independence, and put an end to the entrenched policy of impunity. The organization also urges the international community to maintain pressure on Egypt to ensure protection for victims and to uncover the fate of the disappeared.

 

For more information and media requests or inquiries, please get in touch with us (+41229403538 / media@cfjustice.org)

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