Egypt refutes European allegations on human rights

GENEVA - 15 March 2018: Egypt has refuted fresh statements from the EU and some European countries on human rights in Egypt in the current session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The Egyptian stance was stated on Wednesday by Egypt's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Alaa Yousef, who said that those statements are allegations that lack objectivity.

"They give no consideration to the positive development of the human rights file, despite the fierce terrorist attack against Egypt," said Yousef, noting that such a trend would enhance the stigma and defamation approach inside the council.

"Such a stance spoils the spirit of cooperation within the UN Human Rights Council," he added.

He called on these countries to focus their statements on their efforts to combat the manifestations of crude racism, the spread of hate speech and incitement to violence and ill-treatment of migrants and refugees.

The diplomat also urged the competent authorities in these countries to continue their efforts to uncover the circumstances of the murder and disappearance of a number of Egyptian citizens, including Sherif Michael, who was found dead in a car in London and Mohamed Baher Sobhi, who was found dead beside a railway in Naples, Italy, and Adel Moawad Heikal, who has been missing in Italy for more than two years.

He cited also the incident of the recent attack on Egyptian girl Mariam Moustafa in Britain.

He said that it was more useful for these countries to review the mid-term review report on the implementation of the recommendations of the comprehensive periodical review presented by Egypt on the sidelines of the current session, which included a presentation of the constitutional guarantees and laws and the development of legislation that ensures freedom of thought, opinion, expression and media.

He cited that over 48,000 civil society organizations and more than 120 foreign non-governmental organizations freely operate in Egypt.

Yousef further said alleged arbitrary detention is nothing more than false charges and that the detention or denial of travel for any person is based on a decision of the public prosecution and on the basis of legal guarantees established by the Egyptian legislation.

"There is no evidence that the allegations of enforced disappearance stronger than the recent incident of a girl who the BBC claimed suffered an enforced disappearance while she later appeared to media and denied the allegation," said the ambassador.

The Egyptian government is also fully cooperating with the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance, he asserted.