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Egypt arrests: UN condemns detention of

human rights advocates
5 hours ago

EGYPTIAN INITIATIVE FOR PERSONAL RIGHTS

No details have been given about Mr Abdel-Razek's arrest

The UN's human rights agency has condemned the arrest of three members
of a top rights group in Egypt.

Targeting activists was having a "profound chilling effect on an already

weakened... civil society", it said.

The head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Gasser Abdel-Razek,
was detained on Thursday, days aer two colleagues. They are being held for
suspected links with a terror group.

Dozens of activists have been arrested under President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.

But Egypt has repeatedly denied accusations of human rights violations.

Mr Sisi led the military's overthrow of his democratically elected predecessor

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11/20/2020 Egypt arrests: UN condemns detention of human rights advocates - BBC News
Mr Sisi led the military's overthrow of his democratically elected predecessor
Mohammed Morsi in 2013 following protests against his rule.

'Art released me from my prison cell'

'Co-ordinated response'
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) is an independent group
whose work covers a variety of political, civil, economic and social issues.

It said in a statement on Friday that on the previous day security forces had
arrested Mr Abdel Razek from his home in Maadi, south of Cairo, and taken
him to an unknown location.

It said that its director of criminal justice, Karim Ennarah, was arrested on
Wednesday in Dahab and its office manager, Mohammed Basheer, was
detained in Cairo on Sunday.

Egypt releases satirical blogger Shadi Abu Zeid

'Alcohol poisoning' killed jailed Egypt filmmaker

Both men had been detained pending investigations, it said, adding that they
faced charges including joining a terrorist group.

The EIPR described the arrests as a "clear and co-ordinated response" to its
work, which includes monitoring places of detention and the issuance of death
sentences.

It said Mr Abdel-Razek's arrest was "an attempt to put an end to organised and
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11/20/2020 Egypt arrests: UN condemns detention of human rights advocates - BBC News
t sa d bdel a e s a est as a atte pt to put a e d to o ga sed a d
legitimate human rights work in Egypt".

Meanwhile Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the Office of the UN High

Commissioner for Human Rights, said the arrests were feared to be part of a
broader pattern of intimidation and silencing dissent.

JESS KELLY

Karim Ennarah was reportedly detained while on holiday at a Red Sea resort (family handout)

"The use of sweeping counter-terrorism laws and vague charges such as

'joining a terrorist organization' and 'spreading false information' to harass and
criminalise the work of human rights defenders is inconsistent with the rule of
law and Egypt's obligations under international human rights law," she said.

"We are very concerned that the targeting of human rights defenders and
other activists, as well as further restrictions on freedom of expression,
association and peaceful assembly imposed in the country, are having a
profound chilling effect on an already weakened Egyptian civil society."

France expressed "deep concern" over the arrest of Mr Basheer on Tuesday,

and stressed that it maintained "a frank, exacting dialogue with Egypt on
human rights issues".

The Egyptian foreign ministry on Wednesday rejected France's "interference in

an Egyptian internal affair". It also stressed that Egypt respected the rule of
law and equality before it.

Related Topics
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11/20/2020 Egypt arrests: UN condemns detention of human rights advocates - BBC News

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