Human Watch’s Report on Egypt Deemed Illogical by Experts

CAIRO – 29 May 2019: Human Rights Watch issued a report on Egypt regarding the situation in Sinai. When experts analyzed the report and examined every point in it separately, they deemed it unreasonable and unfounded.

Over the past five years, HRW’s reports on the situation in Egypt and specifically in Sinai depended on sources provided by Muslim Brotherhood. The report that was issued on May 28 by HRW aims to draw a dark image of the situation in Sinai, despite the international recognition of the success of the military operation. Numbers of terrorist attacks on North Sinai dropped significantly since the beginning of Sinai Operation 2018. Moreover, the life in Sinai is normal, but may be HRW’s experts did notice that all the schools, government directorates, hospitals has been operating normally over the past 18 months. 2018 presidential elections and 2019 constitutional referendum held in North Sinai normally without any delay.

Here are the point mentioned in the Human Watch Report, and here is the experts’ analysis on each point.


Analysis of the report of the Human Rights Organization on Egypt:

• Human Rights Watch’s report stated that Egypt's land and air forces have been engaged in a confrontation with Islamist militants in Sinai for years, in a conflict fueled by broader Middle East events and the Egyptian state's neglect of Sinai. The report also accused the security forces of arbitrary arrests of young people, disappearances, and torture.

Analysis of these points:

This point adds nothing new, it is well known to the whole world what Egypt is facing from terrorist operations inside Sinai, which also spread within some Egyptian provinces targeting security men, police and civilians as well.Which called for the Egyptian state to carry out a total cleansing of Sinai of terrorism known asComprehensive Operation, Sinai 2018, However, the Egyptian government not only dealt militarily with terrorism but also developed a comprehensive strategy for the re-development of Sinai.

• The report said the organization had documented 50 cases of arbitrary detention of the population, including 39 cases of incommunicado detention in an undisclosed location.

Analysis of this point

The Egyptian Army Spokesperson issued statements in response to the Human Rights Watch report and stressed the point of taking all legal measures to comply with international human rights standards. The procedures also includes determining the facts in which the element participated, as indicated in the report of 50 cases of arbitrary detention, including 39 cases in an undisclosed location. It is illogical to mention these figures.

• The report stated, quoting former detainees, that some had died during detention due to ill-treatment and lack of medical care.

Analysis of this point:

That all detainees are treated in accordance with international law and human rights norms and that no one is being abused. It is logical that some died because of a health condition they suffered before entering prison.

• The report documented 14 cases of extrajudicial killings of detainees by using similar methods in a Reuters investigation released in April.

Analysis of this point

The Egyptian prisons allow follow-up by human rights organizations. These organizations did not monitor any of the cases mentioned in the report. Therefore, the report of the organization is based on incorrect information. The elements involved in terrorist acts are treated and detained in a legal manner in accordance with the Egyptian laws.

• Human Rights Watch also documented violations committed by the state of Sinai, the local branch of the Islamic state, and said it attacked civilians, abducted, tortured and cut off the heads of opponents.

Analysis of this point

This indicates that the Sinai state group attacks civilians on the pretext of cooperating with the Egyptian security forces from the army and the police in order to report the terrorist elements, and that this means to instill horror and fear in the hearts of everyone who wants to cooperate with the Egyptian security services.

• The report pointed out that the conflict in Sinai escalated after the military removed President Mohamed Morsi from his position due to his belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013.

Analysis of this point

The report describes what is happening in Sinai as a conflict, and it is an inappropriate description, since there is no doubt that what is happening in Sinai is an outright fight against terrorism, because the intelligence agencies have identified many elements of the terrorist foci, the armed criminals that were trying to target civilians and vital state installations.As well as monitoring external support for terrorist groups, whether by providing information, finance or advanced weapons, this emerged during the arresting operations.

The report linked the escalation of events in the Sinai with the departure of Mohamed Morsi from the government in an intention to point out that he and his group have nothing to do with these events. This is incorrect. Al-Beltagy appeared before the media, announcing that what happened in the Sinai would stop once President Mohamed Morsi returned to power.In addition to what the accused Safwat Hijazi said on the platform of "Raba’a" where he appears in the video directed threats, saying: "Whoever sprinkles Mursi with water we will sprinkle them with blood."

• Call for the cessation of military and security assistance.

Analysis of this point

This came as a response to the diversity of sources of Egyptian weapons as the Egyptian state has recently concluded arms deals with France for the purchase of 24 French RAFAL aircraft. Russia has also supplied Egypt with 35mm M-2 multi-mission aircraft equipped with guided air-to-surface missiles, air-to-air missiles, and it also supplied Egypt with non-guided missiles, equipped with 30 mm air guns.It is considered one of the most important deals, especially that Russia offered to sell them in the case of need of Egypt, which outweighs the American F36, in addition to Egypt's agreement with the Russian side to buy 120 Su-30 fighter jets to strengthen the Egyptian Air Force. The military relations between Egypt and China also witnessed a remarkable development to promote military cooperation in the areas of industrialization and joint training.

This confirms what was mentioned in the US congressional hearing when Foreign Secretary Mike Pompeo pledged that the United States would impose sanctions on Egypt if it bought Russian S-35 fighter jets, a pre-emptive step to deter Egypt from continuing to diversify its arms supplies.

• Human Watch stated that Tens of thousands of North Sinai's residents, who are estimated as half a million people, have been forced to leave their homes or fled, while thousands have been arrested and hundreds have been held in secret.

Analysis of this point

These reports were based on several figures and data that are based on the Egyptian Coordination of Rights and Freedoms, a political organization that follows the Muslim Brotherhood, covered by the human rights robe and established in August 2014. This point of the report deliberately ignores all acts of terrorism, murder and chaos in Sinai by terrorist groups belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood and other violent organizations.

• The allegation that security forces carry out military operations within safe housing.

Analysis of this point

The efforts of the armed forces in the war and construction were questioned as they provided support to the State in supervising the implementation of 312 development projects in all fields in order to improve the social and living conditions and provide job opportunities for the people of Sinai, as well as the success of the armed forces in destroying the infrastructure of terrorist elements and providing security and social peace.