Human Rights

Egypt has always played a significant role in promoting human rights issues both nationally and internationally.

First : at the international level, Egypt was among the few countries that participated, in 1945 , in drafting the UN Charter in San Fransisco which enhances and promotes respect for human rights. Egypt also takes pride in contributing to drafting many conventions and declarations on human rights. Following are just a few examples: -

• It participated in drafting the Human Rights Declaration. The Rapporteur General of the committee that drafted this declaration was Dr. Mahmoud Azmy, a prominent Egyptian diplomat.

• It took the lead in initiating the UN decade to combat apartheid and racial discrimination.

• It initiated the idea which led to the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Time of Armed Conflicts, in 1968.

• Egypt proposed the idea of the right to development in the commission on Human Rights in Geneva in 1977

• It participated in drafting the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

• It also played an active role in drafting the UN convention on the rights of the child.

• It chaired the UN special working group that adopted the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

• It was Egypt's proposal to have a parallel NGO forum to the Population Conference that took place in Cairo, in 1994.

• The role of Egypt in helping to reach consensus in many international conferences on human rights is well recognized, particularly in the Population Conference (Cairo, 1994), and in the Women Conference ( Beijing, 1995).

Second: at the national level, Egypt initiated in 1993 a special unit for human rights at the Ministry of Justice, which has investigated so far up to 63 complaints of human rights violations. This unit has direct links and liaison with the Centre for Human Rights in Jeneva.

Furthermore, Egypt's Ministry of Interior has based its policy on the principle of respect for human rights, in conformity with the national policy of the state in this regard. The course to this end has recently been furthered through the introduction of new mechanisms and procedures. These can be outlined as follows:

1- The formation within the Ministry of a human rights committee, comprising the membership of its relevant Heads of Departments. The mandate of this committee is to investigate into any violations of human rights committed by the police staff against citizens, ensuring that any complaints to this effect are examined and the necessary action taken.

2 - Due care is given to training and awareness increasing programs on human rights and freedoms. These courses are organized in collaboration with the U.N Center for Human Rights, Geneva.

It is important in this context to point out that:

• The curricula and training courses of the police academy include subjects on human rights.

• Officers are being attached to training courses organized by the institutes and centers for human rights in the Western states (Sweden, Italy, and France) with a view to increasing their awareness of human rights.

• There is an on-going process to raise the performance of the police staff through modernizing their educational and training program and their methods of investigations and crime detection to ensure the legality of the methods used for this purpose.

3- Disciplinary or legal actions are taken against any police staff committing irregularities or abuses against citizens. Throughout 1998 and up to present 67 disciplinary actions (ranging from counseling and reprimanding to a deduction of salary) have been taken against staff of the police on account of maltreatment of citizens. Of these, three officers were referred to disciplinary courts and suspended from work; five others were referred to the criminal court and sentenced to prison (one of them to five-year prison on charges of inflicting a permanent disability).

In addition to the above, there is a constant support to the Ministry's surveillance departments concerned with tracing and investigating any violations of human rights or freedoms. The high echelons of police

leadership are also assigned to conduct field follow-up tours without prior notice to ensure that citizens are being well treated.

4 - As part of its concern for the human rights of prisoners, the Ministry undertakes the following: -

• Uplifts prisons and improves the conditions of its inmates.

• Develops rehabilitation programs for prisoners, which is the aim of the penalty policy in Egypt.

• Liaison with the concerned ministries to provide prisoners with cultural, educational, health and religious (Muslim or Christian) programs in addition to vocational training programs.

The number of prisoners enrolled to colleges and higher institutes stand at 2370 prisoners, with 15 others registering for post-graduate studies, in addition to literacy programs for males and females.

A prisoner is allowed to visit his family under certain human considerations, e.g. the death or sickness of a member of his family.

In 1994, a decision was issued to provide prisoners with a quality of food which conforms with the international food criteria set for this purpose. This would be at a total cost of L.E 54 million annually.

The provision of a central hospital within the confines of each geographical region for prisons, in addition to the medical services provided within each prison.

5 - The Ministry is in the process of adopting the requirements of groups with special needs with regard to their dealings with the police departments or the installation of sound speaking traffic lights. Foreign circles have welcomed this development in view of its relevance to human rights at the international level.