Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders Annual Report 2005 - Egypt

Attack on Mr. Kamal Abbas¹⁰

On 30 July 2005, Mr. Kamal Abbas, general coordinator of the Centre for Trade Union and Workers' Services (CTUWS), was severely injured by fifteen members of the security forces who first surrounded him, then tied up his arms before fiercely beating him. Mr. Abbas was participating in a peaceful demonstration denouncing the political situation in the country, which was brutally dispersed by security forces. Mr. Abbas notably sustained two broken ribs, in addition to numerous bruises in the head and back. On the next day, he filed a complaint with the General Prosecutor and an investigation into his assault was finally opened. By the end of 2005, however, no proper follow-up had been carried out.

Mr. Abbas had already been arrested, harassed and intimidated on numerous occasions as a result of his union activities. Other CTUWS members were also regularly subjected to harassment.

Continued harassment of EOHR members¹¹

On 20 November 2005, several members of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) were prevented from observing the second round of the parliamentary elections by the persons in charge of certain polling stations, in particular in Alexandria and Ismailia Governorates.

Moreover, Mr. Sanad Ali Sanad, an EOHR member, was abducted on that same day by supporters of Mr. Al-Hussieny Abu Qamar, a representative of the National Democratic Party (NDP), as he was entering the polling station at Al-Sabayha school (Port Said Governorate) in the early morning. Seven men threatened him with a sharp object and dragged him out of the school. Mr. Sanad was then blindfolded and taken to an unknown place where he was detained for several hours. While in detention, he fainted when his aggressors threatened him with death.

Lastly, proceedings against Mr. Hafez Abu Sa'eda, EOHR general secretary, were still pending by the end of 2005. Mr. Abu Sa'eda had been prosecuted for having accepted, in 1998, an unauthorised subsidy from the British Embassy, on the basis of Decree No. 4 of 1992, which prohibits the reception of foreign funding without prior authorisation.

Continued harassment of the Nadeem Centre for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence¹²

In 2005, the Nadeem Centre for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, based in Cairo, was constantly kept under close police surveillance, notably during events organised by the Centre. Its phone lines seemed to be bugged, whereas electronic communications were often disrupted for no apparent technical reason.

In July 2003, the Centre, willing to adjust its legal statute to the 2002 Law No. 84 on associations, had submitted the required documents to register the association under the name of the Egyptian Association Against Torture (EAAT) with the Ministry of Social Affairs. However, its request had been rejected on formal grounds. Although the Centre appealed against this decision, the proceedings remained pending as of the end of 2005, thus impeding the association from being legally recognised.

[Refworld note: This report as posted on the FIDH website (www.fidh.org) was in pdf format with country chapters run together by region. Footnote numbers have been retained here, so do not necessarily begin at 1.]

10. See International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU).

11. See Annual Report 2004.

12. Idem.