From: amnesty@amnesty.oil.ca
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 06:22:48 -0500
Message-Id: <200002171122.GAA32670@amnesty.oil.ca>
To: amnesty-L@oil.ca
Subject: EGYPT: Egyptian Human Rights Defender faces years of imprisonment
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* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International *
News Service 31/00
AI INDEX: MDE 12/04/00
15 February 2000

Amnesty International (AI)
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network
Human Rights Watch (HRW)
International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH)
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR)
Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a joint
program of FIDH & OMCT)
World Organization Against Torture (OMCT)

Egyptian Human Rights Defender faces years of imprisonment

In a statement today, seven international human rights organizations
condemned Egypt's attempt to prosecute prominent human rights defender
Hafez Abu Sa'ada on spurious charges before an (Emergency) Supreme State
Security Court (ESSSC) which denies defendants the most basic right --
the right to a fair trial.

"The case of Hafez Abu Sa'ada, General Secretary of the Egyptian
Organization for Human Rights (EOHR), clearly suggests that the Egyptian
authorities are trying to muzzle human rights defenders in Egypt," the
international human rights organizations said.

The organizations further noted that this alarming development occurs as
Egyptian human rights organizations await with concern the
implementation of the controversial NGO law of 1999 regulating status
and activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Egypt.

Hafez Abu Sa'ada has been charged with accepting a cheque of about
$25,000 from the British embassy in 1998 without giving required
notification to the authorities. According to official sources, he will
be charged under military decree No 4/1992, issued by the Prime Minister
in 1992, which carries a term of imprisonment of at least seven years.

"The charges against Hafez Abu Sa'ada appear to be connected to the
EOHR's critical reporting on cases of human rights violations in Egypt,"
the human rights organizations stressed.

First investigations into the case took place a few weeks after the EOHR
had published a highly sensitive report on human rights violations which
had occurred in summer 1998 in the predominantly Coptic Christian
village of al-Kushh, Upper Egypt.

The initial charges against the EOHR were based on "accepting funds from
a foreign country with the aim of carrying out acts that would harm
Egypt, receiving donations without obtaining permission from the
competent authorities [and of] disseminating false information abroad
that would harm the country's national interests".

Investigations lead to Hafez Abu Sa'ada's detention between 1 December
and 6 December 1998 when he was released on bail after widespread
protest by human rights organisations in Egypt and abroad. At the World
Conference in Paris to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights in December 1998 he arrived after five days'
detention in Tora Prison, Cairo. He was held in a cell of 2m by 2m with
his head shaved and in prison clothes.

Amnesty International, Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, Human
Rights Watch, International Federation of Human Rights, Lawyers
Committee for Human Rights, Observatory for the Protection of Human
Rights Defenders, World Organization Against Torture are calling upon
the Egyptian authorities: to drop the criminal prosecution against Hafez
Abu Sa'ada to stop the use of exceptional (Emergency) Supreme State
Security Courts (ESSSC) - which allow no right of appeal to ensure that
human rights defenders in Egypt can work in an environment without
interference and harassment in accordance with the spirit of the UN
Human Rights Defenders Declaration of 1998

Background:
Military decree No 4/1992 is based on the state of emergency legislation
and prohibits the collection or receipt of donations without prior
approval of the authorities. Article 2 of that decree stipulates
imprisonment of a minimum of seven years for violations of the decree.
Egypt has been ruled under a state of emergency since 1981. The state of
emergency, which has been regularly extended by presidential decree,
expires in May 2000.

The EOHR has been operating under difficult conditions for many years.
Since its establishment in 1985 the organization has not been able to
obtain official registration and has continued to operate "in
formation". The EOHR has recently applied for official registration
under the new NGO law of 1999.

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) reported in January
2000 that it had learned by coincidence of an administrative decree
issued in September 1999 which imposes a ban on the organization's
journal "Huquq al-Insan" (Human Rights) as well as on several
publications of other institutions. The ban on the EOHR's publication
has so far not been enforced, but became known while the EOHR was
preparing a report on an incident of sectarian violence which occurred
in the village of al-Kushh at the beginning of this year and left more
than 20 people dead.

In May 1999 the Egyptian Parliament passed a new law, Law No 153/1999,
regulating the status of civil associations and institutions in Egypt.
The law was criticized by national and international human rights
organization for giving the authorities far-reaching controls over non
governmental organizations' (NGO) activities, including the work of
Egyptian human rights groups. Cause for serious concern included that
the law provides a set of criminal penalties, including a maximum
sentence of one year in prison, for offenses that might amount to no
more than the exercise of freedom of association.

The UN Human Rights Defenders Declaration of 1998 recognizes the rights
and responsibilities of human rights defenders and requires governments
to create an environment in which they can work without interference and
harassment. Article 6 of the Declaration states:

"Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others:
(a) To know, seek, obtain, receive and hold information about all human
rights and fundamental freedoms, including having access to information
as to how these rights and freedoms are given effect in domestic
legislative, judicial or administrative systems;

(b) As provided in human rights and other applicable international
instruments, freely to publish, impart or disseminate to others views,
information and knowledge of all human rights and fundamental freedom"

ENDS.../
Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street,
WC1X 8DJ, London, United Kingdom
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