Egypt
03.07.01
Urgent Interventions
Egypt: Registration of an NGO
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
New information
EGY 003 / 0008 / OBS 075.1
Denial of registration
EGYPT
3rd July 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, has received new information on the following situation in Egypt.
New information:
The Observatory has been informed by the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) that the Administrative Court cancelled the decision of the Ministry of Social Affairs to abstain from registering the EOHR as a non-governmental organization (NGO) on 1 July 2001.
On 30th July 2000, the Ministry of Social Affairs had informed the EOHR that the official decision on its application as an NGO was postponed upon the request of the security authorities. The EOHR had appealed the decision before the Administrative Court.
The Observatory welcomes this decision that clears a path for EOHR’s legal existence, which has been denied since its establishment in 1985. The Observatory hopes that the authorities will put this ruling into action by immediately granting the EOHR an official license as an NGO.
Brief reminder of the situation :
The Observatory had been informed by the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) that on 30th July 2000 the Ministry of Social Affairs decided to postpone the registration of the EOHR as an NGO because of the refusal of security forces (decision n°5804). The Ministry did not specify the reason for their decision, nor which security entities were blocking the procedures for registering the organisation or which procedures the EOHR had allegedly failed to complete. Furthermore, the Ministry did not give a timeframe for this postponement.
This decision came four days after being notified verbally by the undersecretary of the Ministry for Social Affairs on 26th July 2000, that the EOHR had been accepted as an NGO and registered under the number 461 year 2000.
This decision constituted a clear setback after the opportunity created by the decision of the High Constitutional Court dated 3rd June 2000, which had considered the Law on Private Associations and Institutions (Law 153 of 1999), as unconstitutional (see Urgent Appeal EGY 032/9905/OBS 032.02). During the examination of the law, the High Constitutional Court had criticized, in particular, the restrictive system of the establishment of NGOs provided by the law, which set the control of the executive and of security forces on the activities of NGOs ; it had also stated that the right to set up and join organisations is a constitutional and natural right that forms one of the most important pillars of a democratic society.
Actions requested :
Please write to the Egyptian authorities urging them to :
i. register as soon as possible the EOHR as an NGO ;
ii. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in particular its Article 1 which provides that " Every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level" and its article 5.b which provides that « for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the rights, individually or in association with others, at the national and international levels to form, join and participate in non-governmental organisations, associations or groups."
iii. guarantee the effective respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the universal and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Egypt.
Addresses :
His Excellency Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
E-mail: webmaster@presidency.gov.eg
Fax : + 202 390 1998
Telex: 93794 WAZRA UN
His Excellency General Habib al-'Adeli
Minister of the Interior
Fax: + 202 579 2031
E-mails: moi2@idsc.gov.eg
His Excellency Farouk Solf Al Nasr, Minister of Justice
Fax : +202 355 81 03
You may also write to the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in your country
In France :
Press office : fax : +33 1 49 52 08 06
Cultural service : fax : +33 1 01 40 70 08 31
In Switzerland :
Embassy, Berne : +31 352 80 12
Cultural service, Berne : +31 352 23 51
Press office, Geneva : +22 731 13 19
Paris - Geneva, 3rd July 2001
Thank you for informing the Observatory of any action taken, quoting the code of this appeal.
The Observatory, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and strives to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel FIDH +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 -
Tel OMCT +41 22 809 49 39
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
New information
EGY 003 / 0008 / OBS 075.1
Denial of registration
EGYPT
3rd July 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, has received new information on the following situation in Egypt.
New information:
The Observatory has been informed by the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) that the Administrative Court cancelled the decision of the Ministry of Social Affairs to abstain from registering the EOHR as a non-governmental organization (NGO) on 1 July 2001.
On 30th July 2000, the Ministry of Social Affairs had informed the EOHR that the official decision on its application as an NGO was postponed upon the request of the security authorities. The EOHR had appealed the decision before the Administrative Court.
The Observatory welcomes this decision that clears a path for EOHR’s legal existence, which has been denied since its establishment in 1985. The Observatory hopes that the authorities will put this ruling into action by immediately granting the EOHR an official license as an NGO.
Brief reminder of the situation :
The Observatory had been informed by the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) that on 30th July 2000 the Ministry of Social Affairs decided to postpone the registration of the EOHR as an NGO because of the refusal of security forces (decision n°5804). The Ministry did not specify the reason for their decision, nor which security entities were blocking the procedures for registering the organisation or which procedures the EOHR had allegedly failed to complete. Furthermore, the Ministry did not give a timeframe for this postponement.
This decision came four days after being notified verbally by the undersecretary of the Ministry for Social Affairs on 26th July 2000, that the EOHR had been accepted as an NGO and registered under the number 461 year 2000.
This decision constituted a clear setback after the opportunity created by the decision of the High Constitutional Court dated 3rd June 2000, which had considered the Law on Private Associations and Institutions (Law 153 of 1999), as unconstitutional (see Urgent Appeal EGY 032/9905/OBS 032.02). During the examination of the law, the High Constitutional Court had criticized, in particular, the restrictive system of the establishment of NGOs provided by the law, which set the control of the executive and of security forces on the activities of NGOs ; it had also stated that the right to set up and join organisations is a constitutional and natural right that forms one of the most important pillars of a democratic society.
Actions requested :
Please write to the Egyptian authorities urging them to :
i. register as soon as possible the EOHR as an NGO ;
ii. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in particular its Article 1 which provides that " Every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level" and its article 5.b which provides that « for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the rights, individually or in association with others, at the national and international levels to form, join and participate in non-governmental organisations, associations or groups."
iii. guarantee the effective respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the universal and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Egypt.
Addresses :
His Excellency Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
E-mail: webmaster@presidency.gov.eg
Fax : + 202 390 1998
Telex: 93794 WAZRA UN
His Excellency General Habib al-'Adeli
Minister of the Interior
Fax: + 202 579 2031
E-mails: moi2@idsc.gov.eg
His Excellency Farouk Solf Al Nasr, Minister of Justice
Fax : +202 355 81 03
You may also write to the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in your country
In France :
Press office : fax : +33 1 49 52 08 06
Cultural service : fax : +33 1 01 40 70 08 31
In Switzerland :
Embassy, Berne : +31 352 80 12
Cultural service, Berne : +31 352 23 51
Press office, Geneva : +22 731 13 19
Paris - Geneva, 3rd July 2001
Thank you for informing the Observatory of any action taken, quoting the code of this appeal.
The Observatory, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and strives to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel FIDH +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 -
Tel OMCT +41 22 809 49 39
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch