Amnesty International (AI) has called on governments participating in the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to pressure Egypt to respect human rights in the country.
Egypt is scheduled to host the COP27 in its resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh between 07 and 18 November.
AI said in a statement that it has documented how the Egyptian authorities have carried out reprisals against human rights defenders and others who have engaged with UN bodies and experts.
‘COP27 is a key moment for addressing the climate emergency – a human rights crisis of unprecedented proportions’, AI’s North Africa Research and Advocacy Director, Philip Luther, said.
‘Given Egypt’s record of stifling critical voices and cracking down on independent organisations, there are growing concerns that civil society actors will be unable o engage freely with each other and conference participants such as government and corporate representatives to debate crucial issues for the future of the planet.
‘The Egyptian authorities must not be allowed to use the COP27 as a rebranding exercise to deflect criticism of their human rights record.
‘Instead, UN member states and international bodies and organisations participating in the event should press them in private and in public to guarantee the meaningful participation of Egyptian and international civil society’.
Egyptian security forces, according to the U.S. State Department Egypt 2020 Human Rights Report, had carried out arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances and other gross human rights violations.
Freedom House also ranked Egypt as ‘not free’ in its 2022 Freedom in the World report on political rights and civil liberties, with the North African country earning 18 points out of a possible 100.
Source: Amnesty International
Photo source: Dan H
