| To EU-Egypt sub-committee for human rights, democracy, international and regional affairs | Date: 22-01-2008 |
| Author: A letter by 32 NGOs | |
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To EU-Egypt sub-committee for human rights, democracy, international and regional affairs
A letter by 32 NGOs
With reference to your clear policy in support of NGOs' role in the process of development as well as your full adoption of human rights' universal principles, we would like to draw to your attention that the Egyptian Civil society is the subject of governmental vexations since the beginnings of 2007. This assault that aims at limiting the role of the Civil Society in general and NGOs' role in particular was translated by the decision to lockout the Center of Workers and Syndicate Services in April 2007 and the Association of Legal Support for Human Rights in September the same year with no legal grounds or justification. Consequently, the two organizations have filed a suit before the High Administrative Court at the State Council where the cases are currently examined.
In parallel, diverse media have disseminated statements of officials about the intention of the Ministry of Social Solidarity to submit to the Parliament amendments to Law 84 of 2002 regulating the activities of NGOs; according to the available information, the proposed amendments will impose additional restrictions on the right of association and organization.
Several Egyptian non-governmental organizations are worried about this unjustified escalation against the Civil Society especially in a time requiring the promotion of a social dialogue between NGOs and the executive power in order to enhance the role of voluntary bodies for the benefit of the society as a whole. Therefore, these organizations have launched a campaign for the right of association that addressed a request a few months ago to the Ministry of Social Solidarity – among other activities – to open a discussion between the two parties about the proposed amendments. Up to date, no answer was received to this request.
Accordingly, we would like to state that there is a blatant contradiction between the Egyptian government's commitments to human rights as per the plan of action agreed upon between Egypt and the European party in March 2007, mainly the commitment to ensure the right of association and the independence of the Civil Society, and what practically happens today. Therefore, we urge you to adopt this issue on top of your priorities at the meeting of the sub-committee for human rights, democracy, international and regional affairs that will be held in Cairo on January 23-24 2008.
Sincerely yours,
Signatory organizations (by alphabetical order)
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