{"id":10620,"date":"2015-03-29T08:44:42","date_gmt":"2015-03-29T08:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nwrcegypt.org\/en\/?p=10620"},"modified":"2016-06-11T11:45:23","modified_gmt":"2016-06-11T11:45:23","slug":"continuous-targeting-of-human-rights-defenders-in-egypt-witnesses-become-defendants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nwrcegypt.org\/en\/continuous-targeting-of-human-rights-defenders-in-egypt-witnesses-become-defendants\/","title":{"rendered":"Continuous targeting of human rights defenders in Egypt; witnesses become defendants"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cairo March 28th<\/sup>, 2015 <\/span><\/p>\n

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Due to the continuous crackdown on human rights defenders, the undersigning human rights organizations and institutions and individualsexpress their astonishment and shock about the accusations that were charged by Qasr El Nile prosecution office in Egypt to a number of witnesses who willingly testified on the killing of Shaimaa El Sabbagh. El Sabbagh, who isamember of the Socialist People’s Alliance Party was killed during the violent and brutal dispersal of a peaceful memorial event.<\/p>\n

The event was organized by members of the Socialist People’s Alliance Party on 24 January 2015 to commemorate peaceful protestors who lost their lives during the January 25th, 2011 Revolution. The witnesses were accused of protesting illegally, breaching the public order and infringing public security according to Law No: 107, for the year 2013 known as the Anti- Protest Law. 17 persons were charged based on these alleged accusations and they are: Ms. AzzaSoliman, a lawyer in the Cassation Court and President of Board of Trustees of Center for Egyptian Women\u2019s Legal Assistance (CEWLA) and as well as one if its founding members, MrMosatafa Abdel Al, a member of Bread and Freedom Party (under establishment), Dr. Maher Shaker, and 14 members of the Socialist People’s Alliance Party (Mr. TalaatFahmy \u2013 Mr. Zohdi El Shami \u2013 Mr. Elhami El Merghani \u2013 Ms. Nagwa Abbas \u2013 Mr. Adel Meligi \u2013 Mr. Mohamed Salah \u2013 Mr. Khaled Mostafa \u2013 Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Mahmoud \u2013 Mr. Ahmed Fathy Nasr) are also on trial based on the same charges. Charges pertaining to Shaimaa El Sabbagh were dropped due to her death. The first court session is to take place on April 4th, 2015.<\/p>\n

In an escalation move rejected by the undersigning Human rights organizations and individuals, the Prosecutor\u2019s Office decided to transfer Ms. AzzaSoliman from the list of witnesses in the case of the Shaimaa El Sabbagh to the list of defendants.\u00a0 AzzaSoliman was in a restaurant close to where Sabbagh was murdered and she published her testimony on her Facebook account after providing it to the Prosecutor\u2019s office. Moreover, Mr. Mostafa Abdel Al and Dr. Maher Shaker who were in a caf\u00e9 nearby and tried to help and save El Sabbaghwere arrested and transferred into the defendants\u2019 list after testifying.This escalation is a direct violation ofthe Egyptian constitution, which grants immunity to witnesses and requires witness protection. The accusations reflect the continuing security lockdown on human rights defenders, who exercise their right to freedom of expression and expose grave human rights violations.<\/p>\n

The undersigned organizations and individuals call upon the Egyptian government to abide by its national human rights obligations and immediately drop all charges against Ms. AzzaSoliman and other witnesses.The Egyptian government must also drop all charges against members of the Socialist People’s Alliance Party as the Protest Law, with which they are charged, is constitutionally challenged.Participating to a peaceful demonstration is a fundamental human right which is guaranteed byinternational and regional human rights treaties. We call upon the Egyptian authorities to respect and protect the right to freedom of assembly and ensure protection of witnesses and human rights defenders.<\/p>\n

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Entities and organizations:<\/p>\n