The undersigned Egyptian rights organizations condemn the treatment of sit-ins and demonstrations in Egypt from the time of the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak until now, as a result of which hundreds have been killed and thousands injured and detained. We note that increasing social violence is linked to the insistence of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) on pursuing policies of suppressing freedom of expression and using the military judiciary as a tool to subjugate civilians and harass peaceful activists.
The targeting of Women human rights defenders seen over the course of an entire day, when the sit-in at the cabinet building was dispersed at dawn on December 16, is a continuation and clear escalation of militaristic policies aimed at Women human rights defenders, employed consistently by the former regime prior to the January 25 revolution. The policy of targeting Women human rights defenders is part of attempts by those currently in charge of the country, the various security agencies, and the remnants of the former regime to expel women from the public sphere.
The Women Human Rights Defenders Program (WHRDP), of Nazra for Feminist Studies, is launching today its first report “A Continuation of Violations: Military Policy Towards Women Human Rights Defenders” on the ongoing state’s discriminatory policies against women human rights defenders since the Mubarak's regime till now.
Today marks the International Day for The Elimination of Violence Against Women, and we as feminist organizations wanted to take part in the 16 days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence Campaign by organizing events in Egypt, especially that this year’s theme is challenging Militarism and Ending Violence against Women.
The undersigned organizations condemn the unprecedented extra-judicial killings and acts of violence committed by military police and central security forces, on the 9th of October in the Maspero area and central Cairo. Peaceful protesters demanding rights for Coptic citizens were attacked, leading to at least 25 deaths and 300 injuries, some critical. We further condemn the arrest of an unknown number of demonstrators and their referral to a military tribunal for investigation.
The signatory human rights organizations to this report strongly condemn the Egyptian army’s use of firearms against protestors in Tahrir square and its surrounding areas during the early hours of April 9th.
The attack - which led to several deaths and injuries - is a dangerous precedent and must be investigated immediately. Officials who gave the order to use firearms and resort to inappropriate force against demonstrators must be held to account.