Ahead of Egypt’s presidential election, the country’s government has increased its suppression of dissent against political opponents, peaceful protestors, and other opponents.
Development Diaries reports that in the midst of a deepening financial and economic catastrophe, presidential elections in Egypt are scheduled to be held from 10 to 12 December, with genuine opposition candidates barred from contesting.
It is understood that at least 196 people have been detained and questioned by Egyptian police since 01 October over their alleged involvement in unauthorised protests, terrorism-related activity, and the dissemination of ‘false news’, according to Amnesty International’s record.
They are also pursuing legal action against members of the electoral campaign of Ahmed Altantawy, an Egyptian opposition politician and past presidential candidate, for using their rights to free speech, association, and political engagement.
Over the past decade, the Egyptian government, led by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has implemented various measures to suppress voices of dissent, curb freedom of expression, and stifle political opposition.
The Egyptian government has employed various methods to suppress dissent, ranging from legal measures to blatant human rights abuses.
Draconian laws, such as the Protest Law and the Anti-Terrorism Law, have been enacted to criminalise political activism and label dissidents as terrorists.
Also, security forces have been given sweeping powers to arrest individuals without due process, leading to widespread arbitrary detentions.
The Egyptian government must be reminded of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which it ratified in 1984.
Furthermore, the right to freedom of association and the associated rights to freedom of expression and assembly are well established in international law, and Egypt has obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Development Diaries calls on the Egyptian government to stop its reprehensible campaign of repression against dissent and free everyone who has been unlawfully jailed for exercising their human rights in a peaceful manner.
Also, the government must remove the wide-ranging limitations on the freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly ahead of the presidential election.
Photo source: Khaled Desouki/AFP
