Risk of deportation of Mr. Per Bjorklund / Obstacles to the freedom of movement of Messrs. Wael Abbas and Kamal Abbas

Septembre 30, 2009

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Egypt.

Brief description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the risk of deportation of Mr. Per Bjorklund, an active Cairo-based freelance journalist covering the Egyptian strike wave[1], and reporting on labour issues and on human rights abuses in the country, as well as about the passport seizures and harassment against Messrs. Wael Abbas, human rights journalist and blogger, and Kamal Abbas, General Coordinator of the Centre for Trade Union and Workers' Services (CTUWS).

According to the information received, on September 29, 2009, Mr. Per Bjorklund was detained upon arrival from Sweden - via Prague - at the Cairo International Airport, after he was told by the immigration services that his name was ”on the computer” with an order not to allow him into Egypt, a country where he has been living and working for three years.

Mr. Bjorklund would have since then been held at the Cairo International Airport, reportedly awaiting for the next flight to Prague scheduled for October 1.

The Observatory denounces the intention of the Egyptian authorities to deport Mr. Per Bjorklund, and fears that it might be a means to directly sanction his human rights activities.

The Observatory further denounces the obstacles to the freedom of movement of Mr. Wael Abbas on the same day at the Cairo airport: according to the information received, his passport was seized and the latter was prevented to board a flight to London until the very last minute. The Observatory recalls that on June 30, 2009, Mr. Wael Abbas had been held at the Cairo airport for ten hours without due justification by the customs authorities, as he was returning from the Tällberg Forum 2009 in Sweden[2].

The Observatory further underlines that in early September, Mr. Kamal Abbas was held for over two hours at the Cairo airport and subject to provocations and passport seizure. He was then told by security agents that enquiries were being done to complete a report on his activities, for a submission to security bodies. He was eventually released and was able to catch his flight to Pittsburg, USA, where he was to attend the 26th Constitutional Convention of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).

Actions requested:

Please write to the Egyptian authorities asking them to:

1. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Messrs. Per Bjorklund, Wael Abbas and Kamal Abbas as well as all human rights defenders in Egypt;
2. Guarantee in all circumstances the freedom of movement of Messrs. Per Bjorklund, Wael Abbas and Kamal Abbas and put an end to any kind of harassment against them as well as against all human rights defenders in Egypt;
3. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, and Article 12.2, which provides that the State shall “take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of his or her rights”;
4. More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Egypt.

Addresses:

• President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Mohammad Hosni Mubarak, Abedine Palace, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: webmaster@presidency.gov.eg, Fax: +202 390 1998;
• Prime Minister Mr. Ahmed Mahmoud Mohamed Nazif, Magles El Shaab Street, Kasr El Aini Street, Cairo, Egypt. Fax: + 202 735 6449 / 7958016. Email: primemin@idsc.gov.eg;
• Minister of the Interior, General Habib Ibrahim Habib El Adly, Ministry of the Interior, El-Sheikh Rihan Street, Bab al-Louk, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: moi1@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 579 2031 / 794 5529;
• Minister of Justice, Mr. Mamdoh Mohie E-din Marie, Ministry of Justice, Magles El Saeb Street, Wezaret Al Adl, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: mojeb@idsc.gov.eg, Fax: +202 795 8103;
• Public Prosecutor, Counsellor Maher Abd al-Wahid, Dar al-Qadha al-Ali, Ramses Street, Cairo, Egypt, Fax: +202 577 4716;
• National Council For Human Rights, Fax: + 202 5747497 / 5747670;
• Ambassador Sameh Shoukry, Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations in Geneva, 49 avenue Blanc, 1202 Genève, Switzerland, Email: mission.egypt@ties.itu.int, Fax: +41 22 738 44 15;
• Embassy of Egypt in Brussels, 19 avenue de l’Uruguay, 1000 Brussels, Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 675.58.88; Email: embassy.egypt@skynet.be.

Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of Egypt in your respective countries as well as to the EU diplomatic missions or embassies in Egypt.

Paris-Geneva, September 30, 2009

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims 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:

• E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
• Tel and fax OMCT: + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29
• Tel and fax FIDH: + 33 1 43 55 20 11 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

[1] Since 2008, the frequency of strikes have increased in Egypt to protest, notably, against the rise of living costs.

[2] See Urgent Appeal EGY 001/0709/OBS 094.