Press Release
The “Committee for Justice,” in cooperation with several international human rights organizations, including DIGNITY, REDRESS, OMCT, and RFK, is organizing a side event during the 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, held in Banjul, Gambia. The event, titled “Human Rights in Egypt: The Long-Term Effects of the New Criminal Procedure Law,” is scheduled for October 23, 2024, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center (SDKJ-ICC) in Banjul’s West Coast Region, Gambia.
The event comes against the backdrop of growing human rights violations in Egypt, where the past decade has seen a sharp rise in practices such as torture, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has repeatedly called for urgent legislative reforms in Egypt, emphasizing the need to address these abuses. However, the Egyptian authorities continue to use domestic laws to reinforce repression and undermine the rule of law.
The newly proposed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law are viewed as potentially exacerbating the human rights crisis in the country. These amendments would grant law enforcement agencies increased powers to suppress political opposition, posing a threat to the independence of human rights defenders and increasing the risk of arbitrary arrests and judicial persecution.
During the event, speakers will address several key issues, including the potential impacts of these amendments on the work of human rights defenders, how the amendments affect civil liberties—especially the right to assembly and expression—and the importance of implementing ACHPR decisions to ensure respect for human rights in Egypt.
Among the speakers will be Ahmed Mefreh, Executive Director of CFJ, Alejandra Vicente from REDRESS, and Ikenna Uzouma from RFK. The discussion will be moderated by Kalia Campanella from DIGNITY.
This event aims to raise awareness and foster dialogue on how to address the growing challenges facing civil society in Egypt, highlighting the urgent need to support human rights defenders in the face of increasing obstacles.