Today the Federal Government of Germany published its annual report on its human rights policy. It is the 14th time Germany has presented its views and its knowledge about the status of human rights in the world. The Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance, Bärbel Kofler, presented the 303 pages thick report at a federal press conference in Berlin.
In the last 50 pages of the report, the German Foreign Office presents its assessment of the human rights situation in 28 countries around the world, from Egypt to the Central African Republic.
Regarding Egypt, Germany’s Foreign Office finds little to nothing to applaud. The human rights situation has deteriorated even more since the last report, there are arbitrary arrests, detention without charge, trials that do not meet the rule of law criteria and death sentences, cases of torture, enforced disappearances and ill-treatment in police custody. In addition, overcrowded prisons pose an acute threat to detainees due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
The report points out that Egypt has ratified eight of the nine key UN human rights conventions and that the Egyptian Constitution and Egypt’s international commitments provide for extensive protection of fundamental and human rights. Germany’s government however comes to a bitter conclusion: “In practice this is of little importance.”
Read here the complete report on human rights in Egypt by the German Foreign Office:
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14th Report of the Federal Government of Germany on its human rights policy
Egypt
Development of the human rights situation during the reporting period
The human rights situation in Egypt has continued to deteriorate. The balance of power continues to shift in favour of the President. The imposition of a state of emergency in 2017 was followed by a constitutional amendment in 2019, which grants the executive branch extensive rights of control over the judiciary. The new Emergency Law provides the President with further extensive powers. Freedom of expression, press, assembly and association are not guaranteed. There are arbitrary arrests, detention without charge, trials that do not meet the rule of law criteria and sometimes death sentences. There are also cases of torture, enforced disappearances and ill-treatment in police custody. Following protests in September 2019, mass arrests of at least 4000 people were made. According to human rights organisations, thousands of people are being held in Egyptian prisons under unacceptable conditions for political reasons. In addition, overcrowded prisons pose an acute threat to detainees due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Existing laws to protect minorities are often not enforced. Women and children become victims of human trafficking for the purpose of forced marriage and forced labour despite legal prohibition. A draft law against domestic violence has failed. The prohibited genital mutilation continues to be widespread. There are indications of organised illegal organ trafficking, which particularly affects refugees.
Basic services for the population (access to water, food, health) are guaranteed, but at a low level despite state subsidies. The World Bank assumes that 60 percent of the population is poor or at risk of poverty. Cultural rights are restricted in practice.
Implementation of human rights obligations / human rights policy
Egypt has ratified eight of the nine key UN human rights conventions. The Egyptian Constitution and Egypt’s international commitments provide for extensive protection of fundamental and human rights, but in practice this is of little importance. The government and the state media often portray human rights and due process as obstacles to stability and the fight against terrorism.
Examples of German and European project work
Through its project work, Germany is particularly active in the area of support for human rights defenders and participates in process monitoring. Within the framework of development cooperation, we support the National Human Rights Council in Egypt. In 2019, the Franco-German Human Rights Prize was awarded for the third time in a row to Egyptian prizewinners (El-Nadeem Centre for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture).
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Egypt will hold a presidential election at the end of this month. But there’s little drama about who will actually win.
