Civil Society in Egypt.. June 2025 Political Parties, Syndicates and Human Rights

July 3, 2025 | Civil Society in a month

Section One: Political Parties

Introduction:

While opposition forces and parties remain divided over participation in the elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate, scheduled for the last quarter of this year, parties close to the regime—such as “Mostaqbal Watan” (Homeland’s Future) and “Homat Al Watan” (Homeland Protectors)—have become active in election preparations by distributing gifts to citizens and initiating deals and alliances.

Homeland Future Party (Mostaqbal Watan):

The party has intensified its election campaigning in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections by increasing charitable and public service activities. These include the slaughter and distribution of a large number of sacrificial animals, free distribution of Eid clothing in Ismailia, and the handing out of gifts and toys to children and their families in Suez.

Homeland Protectors Party (Humat el Watan):

The party is currently selecting its candidates for the upcoming elections—both for the party list and individual seats. Meanwhile, it has been active in service activities such as paying off the debts of imprisoned women, distributing wheelchairs in Assiut, and giving out meat from Eid sacrifices to needy families in Basateen neighborhoods.

National Front Party (Al Gabha Al Wataneyya):

This new pro-government party, which appears to be positioned to replace Mostaqbal Watan, has begun expressing support for government policies and preparing for participation in the parliamentary elections. Its activities have included holding seminars—most of them in Sinai—and distributing one ton of meat to poor families.

The Egyptian Democratic Social Party:

The party continues to occupy a middle ground between opposition and government alignment. In addition to hosting several foreign ambassadors and delegations, party MPs submitted parliamentary inquiries on topics such as:

The alleged confiscation of property belonging to the historic Saint Catherine Monastery in South Sinai.
Law No. 187 of 2023 regarding reconciliation in building violations and legalizing informal construction.
The continued delay in issuing executive regulations for the Senior Citizens Rights Law No. 19 of 2024.

Civil Democratic Movement:

As usual, the movement focused on issues of rights and freedoms, especially those concerning prisoners of conscience. It held a press conference on the health condition of Dr. Laila Soueif and her long hunger strike, which she undertook to demand the release of her son, the political prisoner Alaa Abdel-Fattah.

The Conservatives Party (Al Mohafezeen):

This month, the party began focusing on political education. It launched the “Political Debates School”—an interactive space aimed at promoting dialogue culture and structured debate, allowing youth to express their opinions based on organized discourse and verified information sources.

The Constitution Party (Al Dostour):

The party’s focus this month was primarily on regional political stances. It issued a statement condemning reports that Khalifa Haftar’s militias were attempting to occupy the border triangle between Egypt, Sudan, and Libya.
On June 18, the party also issued a statement praising Egypt’s position at the UN General Assembly, expressing pride in the strong stance conveyed by Ambassador Osama Abdel Khalek, Egypt’s permanent representative, during the emergency special session titled: “Israeli Illegal Activities in Occupied East Jerusalem and the Rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”

The Bread and Freedom Party (Under Formation):

The party issued several statements this month expressing its political positions. Most notably, it strongly rejected the government’s new proposals regarding old rent laws, considering them a direct threat to millions of tenants and an attempt to intimidate and displace them.

The Popular Socialist Alliance Party:

This month, the party clashed with authorities after security forces banned its seminar in Alexandria on the new rent law. It also held a seminar to explain its rejection of the government’s budget, moderated by economic researcher Elhami El Merghany.

The Revolutionary Socialists Movement:

The movement was vocal this month about several key issues, including:

Rejecting the new rent law, which it says will lead to mass tenant evictions.
Expressing solidarity with workers of the Eastern Tobacco Company who were banned from entering their workplace.
Condemning the arrest of Judge Ayman Essam, a leading supporter of the tenants’ movement opposing the so-called “old rent law reform.”

Section 2: Professional and Labor Unions

Professional Unions:

The Lawyers’ Syndicate

On June 23rd, lawyers held protest sit-ins in front of the courts of Sohag, North Dakahlia, North Beheira, Matrouh, South Beheira, Beni Suef, Assiut, Port Said, South Dakahlia, Tanta, North Sinai, and Kafr El-Sheikh, in objection to the increase in judicial fees.
A meeting between the Bar Association president, members of the General Bar Council, and branch presidents resulted in a decision to appeal the Administrative Court’s ruling suspending the General Assembly scheduled for June 21, 2025.
The Justice Party (El Adl) held a dialogue session on the judicial fees crisis in an effort to de-escalate the situation and explore the Bar Association’s proposed solutions. The session was attended by Bar Association President Abdel Halim Allam, also President of the Arab Lawyers Union, and MP Abdel Moneim Imam, President of the Justice Party and Secretary of the Budget and Planning Committee in the House of Representatives.

The Journalists’ Syndicate

The Syndicate Council, led by President Khaled El-Balshy, met with Engineer Khaled Abdel Aziz, head of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, at the council’s Maspero headquarters. They discussed several issues, particularly regarding the recent changes in the training and technology allowance.
Both parties agreed on the urgency of approving the new regulations governing the disbursement of the training and technology allowance, which had been previously agreed upon and endorsed during the last session of the Supreme Council.
The Syndicate’s Training and Research Center announced a new training course for a limited number of participants (on a first-come, first-served basis) titled: “Creative Video Production: From Shooting to Export.”

Engineers’ Syndicate

The syndicate celebrated the legacy of late architect Ramses Wissa Wassef through a symposium titled “Building on Their Legacy.” Speakers Suzanne Ramses Wissa Wassef and architect Ikram Noshi highlighted his efforts in establishing the Harrania Art Center, especially in the fields of crafts and folk art, and his impact on the local community.
In a step to enhance medical subspecialties and regulate professional work, the “General Association of Clinical Pathologists” was officially registered and documented at the General Medical Syndicate of Egypt, in accordance with the regulations for establishing professional associations within the syndicate.

The Dental Syndicate

The Administrative Court for Health Affairs at the State Council reviewed several lawsuits filed by 2023 dental graduates demanding the Ministry of Health and the Assignment Department to issue their placement orders, similar to graduates of previous years.
The Syndicate’s legal advisor attended all hearings and filed an official intervention in support of the plaintiffs. Dr. Mohamed Alaa, the Syndicate Treasurer, also attended to show full support from the Syndicate Council.
The court postponed the cases to August 2, 2025, pending the report from the Commissioners’ Authority, and instructed the syndicate’s representative to notify all parties of the intervention.

General Syndicate of Pharmacists of Egypt

The Pharmacists’ Syndicate submitted a memorandum to the House of Representatives concerning the government’s draft law on old rent regulations. The syndicate emphasized the need to exclude any provision that ends the rental relationship completely from the draft law.

The Veterinarians’ Syndicate

The Ministry of Youth and Sports continues to implement the “One Pulse” initiative to raise health awareness and enhance youth skills in veterinary and health fields.
As part of this, a scientific seminar titled “Introduction to Farm Animal Medicine” will be held, featuring lecturer Ahmed El-Bendary, member of the One Pulse initiative and the Veterinarians’ Syndicate Council.
The seminar aims to provide specialized scientific content to improve the capabilities of young veterinary professionals and reinforce their role in supporting public health and the national economy, within a broader vision that integrates human, animal, and environmental health.

Nurses Syndicate

Kawthar Mahmoud, General President of the Nursing Syndicate and member of the Senate, announced the successful resolution of the “Technical Bachelor” degree crisis.
The Nursing Sector Committee approved the transformation of the technical bachelor’s degree into a general Bachelor of Nursing Science, granting graduates full professional and educational rights, including a mandatory internship certificate qualifying them to work in all healthcare institutions.

Part Two: Labor Unions

The Egyptian Trade Unions Federation (ETUF):

The ETUF issued an official statement declaring its full support and endorsement of the statement issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the regulation of visits by foreign and local delegations to the border area adjacent to the Gaza Strip.

The General Union of Agricultural Workers:

Eid Mersal, Secretary-General of the ETUF and head of the General Union of Agricultural Workers, highlighted the global spread of the informal (shadow) economy during his participation in the International Labour Conference. He emphasized its serious challenges and multidimensional impact on labor and economic growth.
The Egyptian labor delegation participating in the conference strongly pushed for the adoption of a comprehensive international convention and recommendation concerning biological hazards in the workplace.

Land Transport Syndicate

The union decided to honor heroic driver Khaled Mohamed Shokry, known in the media as the “10th of Ramadan truck driver,” for his pivotal role in averting a potential disaster when his truck caught fire. His brave actions in steering the burning truck away from a densely populated residential area helped prevent a major tragedy.

International Labour Organization (ILO)

In a symbolic move reflecting the firm Arab stance on the Palestinian cause, Arab labor delegations—along with some foreign countries—withdrew from sessions of the International Labour Conference as the Israeli representative began their speech. This withdrawal reaffirmed Arab labor support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

Solidarity Trade Union Federation

A political liaison officer at the Ministry of Interior pledged, in communication with several MPs, to begin implementing the court ruling that canceled the requirement for drivers to be union members in order to obtain a professional driving license.
This coincides with the “Knocking on Doors” campaign launched by the Center for Trade Union and Workers Services in collaboration with the Solidarity of Trade Union Federation. A delegation from the campaign met with MP Adel Amer (representing Qanater El-Khayriya district) and handed him an official memorandum demanding enforcement of the ruling.
MP Amer expressed full understanding of the drivers’ demands, affirming that freedom of union affiliation is a constitutional right. He has already prepared a memo to present the matter to the head of the Defense and National Security Committee in Parliament, aiming to take practical steps to compel traffic departments to apply the ruling.

Egyptian Federation of Labor Unions

The Egyptian Federation of Labor Unions announced the admission of the Union of Workers at the Adult Education Authority into its membership, following a formal request by the union.
A meeting took place between Dr. Sherif Masry (President of the Egyptian Federation of Labor Unions and President of the Solidarity Union for Workers at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina), Ms. Rasha El-Gebaly (Secretary-General of the Federation and President of the Real Estate Tax Workers’ Union in Alexandria), and Yehia El-Dakhly (Secretary-General of the Farmers’ Union in Minya).
The discussion covered several labor and union issues currently affecting the labor scene in Egypt, focusing on how workers and their unions can protect their rights and improve professional conditions.
They also discussed the new labor law and how it could be used to protect the rights of workers—especially in agriculture and informal sectors—and how to compensate for gaps in the law, particularly in relation to agricultural workers and unregistered labor.

Section Three: Human Rights Movements and Institutions

Key Activities, Publications, and Initiatives of Human Rights Institutions

The National Council for Human Rights (NCHR):

On June 1, 2025, the National Council announced in a press release that Ambassador Moushira Khattab had submitted her resignation from the presidency of the Council, expressing her desire to join an international organization. However, circulating reports suggest she was forced to resign as punishment for removing a senior official at the Council who had the backing of security agencies.
On June 4, the Council held a dialogue with representatives of various political parties under the title: “Integrating Human Rights Principles and Values into Political Party Programs.”

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR):

On May 27, 2025, EIPR published an analytical paper titled: “Budget 2025–2026: Egypt in the Grip of Debt.”
EIPR also condemned the continued abuse of lawyer and coordinator of the Families of the Disappeared Association, Ibrahim Metwally, who has been arbitrarily detained for over seven years and is now being prosecuted in three separate cases based on identical charges.
On June 19, EIPR filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor demanding an urgent investigation into the deaths of seven people in Omraniya Police Station over the span of a year, calling for the suspension of involved officers pending investigation and their referral to criminal trial if found responsible.
On June 22, EIPR urged judicial authorities to allow former MP and lawyer Ahmed Abu Baraka to request the recusal of judges in terrorism-related chambers, citing his lack of confidence in the same judges who repeatedly renewed his pretrial detention unlawfully, and called for his trial before a different panel of judges.

The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF):

On June 1, 2025, ECRF expressed deep concern over arbitrary dismissal decisions affecting Syrian students at Egyptian universities due to the lack of student visas.
On June 11, ECRF announced that the family of YouTuber Salah Ramadan Said (known as Salah Gino) had filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor, demanding his release due to fears he may attempt suicide.
On June 18, ECRF reported that the State Security Prosecution summoned Dr. Abdel Khaleq Farouk to continue investigations in case no. 4937 of 2024, under which he is currently detained.

The Center for Trade Union and Workers Services (CTUWS):

On June 15, 2025, CTUWS launched the “Knocking on Doors” campaign by meeting several Members of Parliament from different regions (Qalyubia, Giza, El-Mahalla, etc.) and delivering a memorandum concerning the Supreme Administrative Court ruling in favor of drivers, which abolished mandatory union membership as a requirement for professional driver licenses.
On June 24, CTUWS held a meeting to discuss criticisms of the new labor law, its implementation mechanisms, and the effectiveness of legal safeguards for protecting workers’ rights.

The New Woman Foundation:

On June 1, 2025, the foundation published a research paper analyzing the “swift justice” policy adopted by the Ministry of Justice, assessing its impact on women’s access to justice.
On June 2, the foundation organized a training workshop on “Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue,” attended by several trade unionists.
It also published an analysis paper tracking public apology statements made by doctors and media professionals who previously endorsed female genital mutilation.
Additionally, it held a roundtable titled “A Feminist Perspective on the New Labor Law,” discussing the law’s neglect of women’s rights and lack of a gender-sensitive approach.

Masar – Community for Technology and Law:

On June 2, 2025, Masar published a paper titled: “Social Media and Democracy: How Platforms Undermine Democratic Foundations?”
On June 18, it released another paper: “5G Networks in Egypt: Between Human Rights Risks and Developmental Opportunities.”
On June 24, it published a third paper on “The Impact of Social Media Policies on the Growth and Continuity of Online Gender-Based Violence.”

Center for Egyptian Women LegalAssistance (CEWLA):

On June 3, 2025, several feminist organizations, groups, and activists expressed grave concern for Dr. Laila Soueif, who is slowly dying in full public view in defense of her imprisoned son’s right to freedom.
On June 21, the center published a study on the working conditions of women and girls in Delta cities, where agriculture, fishing, and handicrafts are not merely professions but a way of life—now threatened by severe climate change without government action or protective measures.
On June 23, it held a roundtable titled “The Unified Law to Combat Violence and Its Role in Addressing Psychological Domestic Abuse.”

Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression

On June 25, 2025, AFTE organized a discussion session titled: “Protecting the Right to Freedom of Expression Amid Growing Restrictions,” to highlight the escalating restrictions and explore ways to resist them.

Joint Human Rights Activities:

On June 2, 2025, a group of human rights lawyers filed a request with the International Cooperation Department at the Egyptian Public Prosecutor’s Office demanding the release of Alaa Abdel-Fattah. They argued that his pretrial detention period, as stipulated by Egypt’s Code of Criminal Procedure, should be counted toward his sentence, which expired in September 2024.
On June 12, several rights organizations and individuals condemned the Egyptian authorities’ detention and deportation of dozens of international activists who participated in the “Global March to Gaza.”
On June 18, 32 human rights organizations called on Saudi Arabia to officially halt the execution of 26 Egyptian citizens—all men—held in Tabuk Prison in northwestern Saudi Arabia, sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

Violations and Harassment:

Renewal of Detention

On June 1, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution renewed the detention of Abdel Rahman Al-Ansary for 15 days pending case No. 1282 of 2024 (State Security).
On June 18, the Cairo Terrorism Criminal Court renewed the detention of Marwa Sami Abu Zeid for 45 days pending case No. 7887 of 2024 (State Security).
On June 21, the State Security Prosecution interrogated Ayman Essam, lawyer for the Tenants’ Association, and ordered his detention for 15 days pending case No. 4881 of 2025 (State Security), on charges of joining a banned group and spreading false news.
On June 24, the Cairo Terrorism Criminal Court renewed the detention of labor activist Shady Mohamed and 8 others for 45 days.

Judicial Rulings:

On May 26, 2025, the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF) won a ruling from the Administrative Court on behalf of a client (as the legal guardian of his son), cancelling the Health Insurance Authority’s refusal to provide a non-invasive glucose monitor (FreeStyle Libre), and obligating the authority to supply the sensor patches.
On May 31, Damanhour Court ruled in favor of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) to reinstate the pension of a former technician at the Beheira Joint-Stock Company, entitling him to all back payments.
On June 18, North Giza Primary Court ruled in favor of ECESR, ordering Al-Tariq newspaper to pay 144,000 EGP in compensation to two journalists for arbitrary dismissal.
On June 23, the same court ordered Al-Tariq to pay 367,000 EGP in compensation to three other journalists also dismissed arbitrarily.

Trials:

On June 16, 2025, the Administrative Court’s Appellate Circuit reviewed appeals by teachers who were excluded from the Ministry of Education’s 30,000-teacher hiring campaign due to reasons like overweight, pregnancy, or childbirth. The court postponed the hearing to August 28 for document submission.
On June 23, the Cairo Terrorism Criminal Court (Second Circuit) held the first session of the trial of Dr. Mahmoud Shaaban Mahmoud Mostafa and 37 others in case No. 595 of 2021 (State Security). The court postponed proceedings to September 27 for defense review.

Victories

On June 2, 2025, the Supreme State Security Prosecution ordered the release of 50 detainees held in pretrial detention in 23 different cases, including journalist Ahmed Serag.
On June 18, the same prosecution office ordered the release of 17 detainees held in case No. 1641 of 2024 (State Security).
On June 24, the prosecution ordered the release of all detainees held in pretrial detention in case No. 1540 of 2024 (State Security), known as the “Minya Events”