Civil society in Egypt… April 2023

 

Section one: Egyptian political parties

1- Nation’s Future Party

Service and charitable activities still dominate the party’s activities, with the exception of one religious symposium held during the month.

  • The party has launched a number of events to support orphaned children in different governorates such as Dahab, Siwa, Matrouh, Serapeum and Haram.
  • The party has launched a group Ramadan Iftar party at the governorate level in Cairo, Suez, Sohag, Sharqia, South Sinai, Qalubia, Red Sea and Port Said. Umrah awards were granted and clothes were distributed, in a competition for reciting Qur’an and singing for children held in Nasr City, and another Qur’an competition has been held North Sinai.
  • Distributing food supplies to the less fortunate in their homes in Al-Gamalia neighborhood, and outlets for selling local meat and foodstuffs at reduced prices in the governorates of Cairo, Giza, Qena, Halayeb, Munufia, and Mutubas
  • The party has signed a cooperation protocol with the Ministry of Solidarity to provide a decent life for Egyptian citizens and provide social and economic services. The protocol works to support handicrafts and train youth and women.
  • An educational symposium was held on the tenth of Ramadan anniversary, in the presence of the Minister of Awqaf (Endowment).
  • In Cairo, the party has organized an employment forum and provided job opportunities for young people in the AL-Zawia Al-Hamra and Al-Sharrabia neighborhoods
  • Delegations of party members have visited churches to congratulate the Copts and distribute gifts and toys to children.
  • Organizing fields for performing Eid prayers in all governorates and distributing the so-called “President’s Gift” to children, which were bags containing souvenirs presented by the President of the Republic.

2- Al-Dostour party
1- The party’s legal committee has issued a statement regarding the disappearance of activist Ahmed Fathi, a member of the party in Alexandria, calling on the authorities to disclose his whereabouts.
2- The party organized its annual Ramadan Iftar in Ahimsa on the Giza Nile, in the presence of a group of party leaders, public and political figures, diplomats, media professionals and human rights activists.
3- The party has issued a statement expressing its concern about the beginning of the rapid support militia movements in a number of cities inside Sudan.
4- The party has issued a statement after the appearance of activist Ahmed Fathi in the Supreme State Security Prosecution, in which the party has called on the authorities to release him. the Supreme State Security Prosecution issued a decision to detain him for 15 days as a precautionary measure, on the grounds of accusing him of spreading false news and joining a terrorist group.

3- The Egyptian Social Democratic Party

It is still the most active Egyptian party, especially in regards to the parliamentary activities.

  • MP Ehab Mansour submitted a briefing request to the Minister of Education regarding the disappearance of the role of psychologists in schools.
  • MP Sana Al-Saeed submitted a request to the Minister of Education to set controls and provisions to prevent the phenomenon of coercive cheating.
  • MP Samira El-Gazzar presented an urgent statement addressed to the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Housing and Local Government regarding the collapse of the Bahey El-Din Bridge in Siwa Oasis.
  • Party members participated in parliament’s debates regarding amendments to the Nationality Law.
  • The party issued a statement condemning the Israeli occupation forces storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque
  • The party organized its annual Iftar party in the presence of the leaders of the civil movement.
  • The party issued a joint statement with the Justice Party regarding the political and economic conditions and their perception of the civil movement at the current stage.
  • The party participated in sending delegations to visit the Egyptian churches to congratulate them on the Day of Resurrection.
  • MP Amira Saber participated in the session of the International Parliamentary Forum in Washington on governance and accountability.

4- Socialist Popular Alliance Party

Very limited activity during this month represented in:

1- Launching a consultative campaign on the presidential elections.
2- Organizing an online seminar entitled “What is happening in Sudan?”

5-  Justice party

The party has carried out some social and festive activities and issued some statements:

1- A celebration to honor the mothers in Qalubia Governorate, visiting the Oncology Institute in the governorate, and distributing gifts to children there.
2- The party issued political statements about:

  • The outbreak of the Marburg virus in some African countries.
  • Condemning the Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque.
  • A joint statement with the Egyptian Democratic Party on the political and economic situation and the current position of the civil movement.

3- The party activities such as:

  • MP Abdel Moneim Emam refused the return of the summer daylight time during his speech in the House of Representatives.
  • Launching the Justice Center for Studies in Upper Egypt.
  • Launching the localities initiative for training and creating parallel simulation councils in one of Cairo hotels.
  • Participation in a workshop to coordinate the youth of the parties on the amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure.
  • Iftar party for the secretariats of civil movement workers at the party headquarters in Cairo.
  • Participation in the Easter Mass in St. Mark’s Cathedral and the Evangelical community.
  • Participation in the annual Iftar of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party.
  • Celebrating the centenary of the first Egyptian constitution, the 1923 constitution

6- National Progressive Party

Almost non-existent activity during the month, limited to the party sending congratulations on the holidays of resurrection, Sham Al-Nessim and Eid Al-Fitr.

7- Arab Democratic Nasserist Party

1- The party organized an Iftar for the leftist parties in Egypt.
2- The party issued a statement condemning the Zionist attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque.
3- The party secretariat in Menia sent an urgent message to President Sisi and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan, urging both to take diplomatic measures to stop the military action of the rebel militias in Sudan, and to, in the event of their failure, take military measures.
4- The party organized a Ramadan contest in Qalubia governorate entitled “activist Kamal Abu Aita contest”.

8- Egyptian Socialist Party

The party’s activity was limited to issuing two statements;

A statement condemning the Israeli violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque and a statement about the events in Sudan.

9- Reform and Development Party

The party relied heavily on its parliamentary activity through its members in Parliament, in addition to the statements of the party leader, which are always politically controversial:

1- The participation of parliamentarians and members of the party, in discussing the draft law regulating the General Authority for Meteorology.
2- Amendment by adding coordination with the concerned authorities in supervising meteorological stations.
3- A request for a briefing within the “Antiquities Cry” initiative to save and restore Al-Fakahany Mosque in Al-Ghoria.
4- A request for briefing about the delay in issuing the decision of the Board of Directors of the Public Authority for Industrial Development.
5- Presenting a legislative amendment to the Police Academy Law by specifying the fees, the method of collecting them, and the need to clarify them in the law.
6- A request for a briefing on the bad condition of the teachers lounges for those moderating the general secondary exams.
7- A request for a briefing regarding putting up Palm Beach for public auction again after being closed for 3 years due to the large number of drowning cases.
8- Requesting the Ministry of Solidarity to make a cooperation protocol with the Ministry of Communications to carry out awareness-raising initiatives to introduce less fortunate citizens to their rights.
9- Participation in the workshop held by the Coordination of Parties Youth on the Medical Liability Law.
10- Participation in the Ramadan contest held between the Judges Club and both the House of Representatives and Senate in Alexandria.
11- Distribution of hot breakfast meals to citizens in the f Al-Ahrar and 8th Abis villages in Alexandria.
12- An important statement issued by the head of the party, Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat, regarding the controversy raised by his statements regarding the sudden presidential candidate he referred to and his hints of the possibility of him running in the upcoming presidential elections.

 

Section Two: Professional and labor unions in Egypt

 

First: Professional unions

1- Journalists Syndicate

  • On April 1st, the Syndicate of Journalists announced the final formation of the office and the union committees, in the presence of the majority of the members of the Syndicate Council. The Council decided to establish two committees (settlement – controls for the disbursement of loans and subsidies), and discussed the decision to allow participation in the medical insurance project as a final deadline, and to open the door for receiving requests for transfer to the list of workers.
  • On April 2nd, South Giza Labor Court ruled that a journalist was entitled in a case of arbitrary dismissal in Case No. 827 of 2022, South Giza Workers from Sawt Al-Balad newspaper.
  • On April 11th, the Second Cairo Terrorism Criminal Court decided to renew the detention of journalist Tawfiq Abdel Wahed Ibrahim Ghanem for 45 days pending Case No. 238 of 2021 State Security.
  • On April 17th, the State Security Prosecution decided to release the two journalists, Hisham Abdel Aziz Gharib, in Case No. 1956 of 2019, State Security, and Mohamed Mostafa Mohamed, in Case No. 1977 of 2022, State Security.
  • On April 18th, the Syndicate of Journalists submitted complaints to the Public Prosecutor against several fake, unofficial entities that misled citizens into registering in the Syndicate’s list, issuing cards, and claiming to change the occupation field on the ID card, in violation of the law.
    2- The Bar Association:
  • On April 10th, Cairo Criminal Court, in Badr City, considered renewing the detention of lawyer Hisham Awad pending case No. 1096 of 2022, Supreme State Security. Awad refused to appear before the court via conference call, objecting to his detention in that case after his release from a previous one.
  • On April 11th, lawyer Muhammad Jalal, a member of the General Assembly of the Bar Association, announced that he had been asked to be investigated regarding a report submitted against him by president of the Bar, Abdel Halim Allam accusing him of disturbing security, stirring up strife, endangering the Bar Association and inciting lawyers.
  • On April 13th , the Bar Association issued a statement clarifying the conclusion of the committee to be formed by both the Bar Association and the Ministry of Finance, regarding the electronic bill crisis, the mechanisms of dealing, and those regarded for registration or not.
  • On April 15th, the president of the Bar Association issued a decision on occasion of Eid al-Fitr and Easter, to disburse an exceptional grant of L.E. 500 to pensioners and heirs of the deceased members, with a study of the financial position to increase pensions.
    3- Doctors Syndicate
  • On April 1st, the Social Committee announced that it had supported the members of the General Assembly with an amount of L.E.415,000 during March for catastrophic crises, treatment, and others.
  • On April 2nd, a member of the Doctors Syndicate Council, Dr. Ahmed Hussein, announced that he had submitted his resignation after several security interventions in the affairs of the Syndicate Council, the latest of which was the deleted Syndicate statement about the death of the psychiatrist, Ragai Wafai, inside the Gamassa Police Station. Dr. Wafai was in pretrial detention pending a medical malpractice case, and he died due to physical and psychological torture. The Syndicate has submitted a report to the Public Prosecutor against the warden and all employees of the Police Station, and has demanded an investigation about the incident.
  • On April 8th, the Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to renew the detention of Dr. Hani Suleiman for 15 days, pending Case No. 508 of 2023 State Security on charges of (spreading false news and joining a terrorist group).
  • On April 11th, the October Appellate Misdemeanor Court acquitted a doctor of a medical error that caused the death of a patient.
  • On April 18th, the Minister of Health and Population issued Decree No. 166 of 2023 regarding the formation of a committee to regulate the practice of psychotherapy for non-psychiatrists, headed by the head of the Central Administration for Therapeutic Medicine.
  • On April 19th, the State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of Dr. Hani Suleiman for 15 days pending case No. 508 of 2023 State Security.

4- The Engineers Syndicate
– On April 10th, the Administrative Court decided to postpone (to April 16th for review and response) the lawsuit filed by 30 engineers from the Engineers Syndicate against both the Minister of Irrigation and the Syndicate. The lawsuit calls for stopping the decisions of the General Assembly of the Syndicate as the president of the Engineers Syndicate violated the provisions of Syndicate law by including issues that were not on the agenda of the General Assembly.
– On April 11th, the president of the Engineers Syndicate issued a statement with a warning from members of the General Syndicate Council Office. He had obtained the warning from the documents of the case filed against him at the Administrative Court to oblige him to approve the minutes of the Syndicate Council. He stated that he had not seen this warning before and that it had been received in collusion with the Syndicate employees.
– On April 13th, Nasr City Second Misdemeanor Court decided to postpone the hearing of the trial of Engineer Yahia Hussein Abd al-Hadi (former engineer in the armed forces) pending case 1206 of 2023 Nasr City misdemeanor, accusing him of publishing false news inside and outside the country until the May 11th hearing.
– The Egyptian Tax Authority issued a statement clarifying that members of professional syndicates were not required (in the event of their dealings with final individuals) to register in the electronic bill system, but if the client has a tax number, then they must register in the system, and that they are obligated to register before April 30th.

5- Acting Professions Syndicate

On April 20th, the Acting Professions Syndicate decided to open an investigation with the producer of the movie “Harley”, after “Royal Sun for Artistic Production and Distribution” continued filming for 54 continuous hours, which aroused the syndicate dissatisfaction with how the production company was dealings with the work team, violating the rules and the law.

6- Tour Guides Syndicate

– On April 12th, the Syndicate’s Medical Committee announced that it did not cover comprehensive medical care, despite the provision of medical services at low prices. The committee decided to negotiate the provision of comprehensive medical care for the syndicate members, which requires a minimum number of members to obtain better service at a lower cost.

Second: Labour Unions

1- The Egyptian Trade Union Federation 

– On April 1st, and on the occasion of Land Day in Palestine, the President of the Egyptian Trade Union Federation, called on the international community to assume its responsibilities. He also demanded moving to take serious and real steps to end the Israeli occupation and provide international protection for the Palestinian people in their homeland, enabling them to exercise their legitimate rights to freedom and independence in their independent state on the lines of June 4th , 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and obliging the Israeli occupation authorities to implement the relevant international legitimacy resolutions.

2- The General Union of Workers of the Egyptian Ambulance Authority

  • On April 4th, the Supreme State Security Prosecution decided to renew the detention of the ambulance worker, Sameh Zachariah, for 15 days pending case 2412 of 2022 State Security, and on April 18th, the prosecution renewed his detention, for another 15 days pending the same case.

3- The General Union of Workers in Food Industries

– On the April 3rd, a group of workers of Greenland Food Industries Company in the 10th of Ramadan City went on strike to demand their financial rights.

On April 7th, the company’s board of directors decided to fire 49 workers for stopping work, inciting workers, and halting production, leading to financial losses, so 420 workers announced their strike because of arbitrary dismissal and the company’s management’s refusal to pay their financial dues and increase salaries, until the crisis ended on April 8th.

4- The General Union of Banks and Insurance Workers

– On April 18th, Cairo Governor issued Decree No. 2631 of 2023 to dissolve and liquidate the Consumer Cooperative Association for Employees of the National Bank, registered under No. 2292 of 1977, to stop it from practicing its activity.

 

Section 3: Human Rights Organizations and Defenders

First: Human Rights Organizations most important activities and publications

1- Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)

– EIPR director participated in a Suhoor gathering, in the presence of the British Minister of State for MENA, Lord Tariq Ahmed, at the residence of the British ambassador in Cairo.
– EIPR participated in a meeting with the coordinator of the National Dialogue Committee, Diaa Rashwan, and Counselor Mahmoud Fawzi, head of the technical secretariat of the dialogue, at the headquarters of the State Information Service. The meeting dealt with the human rights priorities and the necessary steps for holding the national dialogue.
– EIPR participated in a public hearing of the International Trade Commission, responding to calls to extend the intellectual property rights hold on vaccines used against COVID-19 to diagnostics and therapeutics as well. EIPR presented its testimony, along with representatives of civil society in the countries of the Global South, to demonstrate the necessities and justice of this expansion for Egypt and developing countries in general, and the negative effects of intellectual property rights related to basic medicines and vaccines, especially in times of health pandemics.

 

2- Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF)

– On April 12th, ECRF launched an initiative entitled “Save Freedom of Opinion” to monitor violations of freedom of opinion, expression, writing, and publishing, for journalists, media professionals, politicians, and activists. The initiative aimed to document everything targeting freedom of publishing, writing, and people who exercise their legal and constitutional right to express their opinion, through all legitimate peaceful means.
– On April 20th, ECRF launched a short story competition entitled “Art and Human Rights” as part of its work to promote a culture of human rights through art and literature. The competition revolved around the stories of refugees crossing borders in search of safety and escaping from injustice.
– ECRF has issued two research papers. The first, titled “The Marginalized Citizens; Outside Health Coverage,” shed light on the groups that did not receive the necessary health care with the beginnings of the spread of Covid-19, and the Egyptian government announcement of the first infection in February 2020. The second, entitled “The collapse of the pillars of health care in Egypt,” monitors crises that faced medical personnel at the time of the spread of Covid-19.

 

3- The National Council for Human Rights (NCHR)

On April 6th, Ambassador Mushaira Khattab, President NCHR, and Dr. Mohamed Othman Elkhosht, President of Cairo University, signed a joint cooperation protocol to spread the culture of human rights within the university community through designing and implementing a joint activities plan that includes educational seminars and workshops to educate students about human rights and their importance, and civilized ways of expression and practice.

 

4- Center For Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA)

On April 6th, human rights lawyer and CEWLAfounder, Azza Soliman, participated in a symposium organized by the American University in Cairo to discuss personal status laws and the challenges women face in those laws.

 

5- Technology and Law Community – Masaar

– On April 3rd Masaar issued a legal paper entitled “Human Rights and Internet Governance”. The paper aims to provide an overview of how human rights relate to Internet governance.
– Masaar also published a legal paper titled “Digital Services Law: Obligations and Implications for Online Service Providers”. The paper aimed to provide a comprehensive introduction to the Digital Services Law, its most important rules and the obligations it imposes on various parties (foremost of which are digital service providers). The paper also addressed the new mechanisms and bodies established to implement, supervise and monitor it, and the new realities created and their effects on those living outside the European Union.
On April 10, the Women, Work and Economic Rights Program organized via Zoom, live broadcast, and a regional binar entitled “Women and the Participatory Economy.” The webinar aims to discuss the possible economic alternatives for women in a changing world with the aim of discussing the opportunities and challenges of the solidarity and participatory economy for women, as well as the legal obstacles to the establishment and management of cooperatives.

 

6- Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR)

EFHR published a report entitled: “The Untouchables and Forgotten in Egyptian Prisons: Criminals as a Model” which reviewed the living and life conditions experienced by criminals in Egyptian detention facilities and the legal violations committed against them from the moment of suspicion to serving sentences in these facilities.

 

7- Regional Center for Rights and Liberties

On April 12th, the Regional Center for Rights and Liberties issued a policy paper entitled “Licensing; the Supreme Media Council defense against independent journalism (Mada Masr as a model)”.

 

8- New Woman Foundation

On April 10th, the “Women, Work and Economic Rights Program” organized a live webinar via Zoom, entitled “Women and the Participatory Economy.” The webinar aimed to discuss the possible economic alternatives for women in a changing world with the aim of discussing the opportunities and challenges of the solidarity and participatory economy for women, as well as the legal obstacles to the establishment and management of cooperatives.

Second: Violations against human rights defenders:

1- Detention renewal:

  • Human rights lawyer Youssef Mansour:

On April 5th, the 1st Chamber of Terrorism in the Cairo Criminal Court renewed his detention for 45 days pending investigations in Case No. 330 of 2022 Supreme State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading false news.

  • Activist Nermeen Hussein:

On April 5th, the 1st Chamber of Terrorism at the Cairo Criminal Court renewed her detention for 45 days in Case No. 65 of 2021 Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a terrorist group and publishing false news and statements.

  • Activist Marwa Araffa:

On April 10th, the 2nd Circuit of the Cairo Criminal Court renewed her detention for 45 days in Case No. 570 of 2020 Supreme State Security, on charges of joining a terrorist group, committing a financing and supply crime, and publishing false news and statements.

  • Journalist Tawfiq Ghanem:

On April 10th, the 2nd Circuit of the Cairo Criminal Court renewed his detention for 45 days in Case No. 238 of 2021 Supreme State Security on charges of joining a terrorist group, publishing false news and statements, and misusing a social media tool.

  • Activist Mohamed Adel:

On April 12th, Mansoura Criminal Court renewed his detention for a 45 days pending investigations in Case No. 4118 of 2018 Administrative Sherbin on charges of joining a terrorist group and publishing false news and statements.

2- Trials:

  • Mohamed Adel:

On April 1st, Agga Misdemeanor Court postponed the second hearing in Case No. 2981 of 2023 copied from Case No. 5606 of 2018 Agga Misdemeanor on charges of publishing false news and statements to May 6th for defense review.

  • Eng. Yahia Hussein Abdel Hadi:

On April 13th, Nasr City Misdemeanor Court postponed the first hearing in Misdemeanor No. 1206 of 2023 Nasr City Misdemeanor on charges of possessing inflammatory publications to May 11th.

3- Arrest and Detention

Arresting Eng. Neama Hisham, the wife of human rights lawyer Mohamed El-Baqer:

On April 17th, security forces arrested Eng. Neama Hisham, wife of human rights lawyer Mohamed El-Baqer, from her home in Maadi, Cairo. They took her to an unknown destination and detained her for several hours before releasing her without presentation to any of the investigation authorities. This was a few hours after she had posted on her official Facebook  account about her husband being beaten and physically tortured by the security forces in Badr 1 prison, causing him injuries.

4- Shelving Reports:

Shelving the report submitted Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) to re-investigate the death of activist Ayman Hadhoud:

Nasr City Prosecution office shelved the report submitted by AFTE, last month, regarding reopening investigations into the mysterious death of economic researcher Ayman Hadhoud, inside the Mental Health Hospital in Abbassia.

AFTE stated that the decision refusing to complete the investigations into that incident is the second one, as Nasr City Prosecution Office decided, last year, had decided there was no basis for filing a criminal case. AFTE appealed the decision before the Criminal Court, which upheld the prosecution decision to close the investigations. It also rejected the civil lawsuit filed by Hudhoud’s brother against the administration of the Abbassia Mental Health Hospital, and everyone who was found guilty in the investigations of his brother’s death.

 

A monthly report that includes the most important activities and news of civil society with its main components; “parties, unions, and human rights organizations” in Egypt.

 

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