Egypt‘s commitment to upholding human rights remains a mere statement without action.

Development Diaries reports that the country recently announced the reelection of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi but there are reports of arrests and intimidation before and during the election.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report that security forces suppressed peaceful protesters in the months before the election and harassed, arrested, and convicted numerous journalists, political and human rights activists.

The government, according to HRW, also prohibited opposition groups from hosting any conferences, and security officials in civilian cloths harassed citizens attempting to register their endorsements for other candidates.

Egypt’s human rights record has been a subject of concern.

While the Egyptian constitution ostensibly guarantees a range of fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, assembly, and association, there have been numerous reports of human rights violations.

The government, under El-Sisi, has engaged in a crackdown on dissent, leading to the arrest and imprisonment of activists, journalists, and political opponents. The use of emergency laws and the presence of military trials for civilians further contribute to a climate of restricted civil liberties.

The Egyptian government should be reminded of its obligation to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR), which it ratified in 1982.

Freedom House ranked Egypt as ‘not free’ in its Freedom in the World 2023 Report, with the North African country scoring 18 out of a possible 100.

Development Diaries calls on the Egyptian government to investigate issues of rights repression and ensure a more robust protection of human rights and the rule of law in the country.

We also call on the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to hold Egypt accountable for such actions.

Photo source: Khaled Desouki/AFP