Copenhagen-Geneva-Paris, April 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), and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) express their deep concern about the warning letter received by the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) from the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity, which seriously undermines freedom of association in Egypt.
On April 27, 2009, the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) received a letter from the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity, Masr-El-Kadima district authority, in which it was warned that the organisation risks to be subjected to closure and dissolution for violating Law of Association No. 84 of 2002. More specifically, the Ministry, which is the competent executive authority for all non-governmental organisations, indicated that Article 42 of the NGO Laws had been breached by EOHR, which, allegedly, had received unauthorised foreign funding.
This warning came as a great shock to EOHR staff and board members, who had conformed to all law provisions before proceeding with their activities, despite the highly restrictive nature of Law of Association 84/2002.
The Ministry’s action would have been instigated following the regional conference entitled “Information is a right for all”, organised in Cairo jointly by EOHR and the Centre of Media Freedom in the Middle East and North Africa (CMF MENA), Morocco, on January 27-28, 2009, which focused on freedom of expression, as well as the right to a free flow of information. Six months prior to the conference, on July 31, 2008, EOHR had submitted to the authorities notice of the event as well as a request to receive funds from its partner institution in Morocco, in order to cover expenses for the conference. However, since no response had been received from relevant authorities within the time frame as provided by law, the request was deemed implicitly approved and both organisations proceeded with the organisation of the event.
Furthermore, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the EMHRN fear that EOHR’s efforts in favour of the amendment of Law No. 84 of 2002 in order to bring it in conformity to international standards may stand as the genuine reason for the warning of dissolution.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the EMHRN remain concerned about the situation of human rights defenders and their organisations in Egypt, and fear that the action taken by the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity replicates the administrative harassment inflicted upon the Association for Human Rights and Legal Aid (AHLRA), which had been dissolved in September 2007 pursuant to Article 17(2) of the same Law, under the same pretext of unauthorised foreign funding. While the Observatory welcomes the re-registration of AHLRA in October 2008, it fears that the tenets of the Law 84/2002 will be used continuously to restrain and intimidate NGOs operating in Egypt. To that extent, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the EMHRN recall that the provisions of the Egyptian Law of Association do not meet internationally accepted standards and grant executive authorities undue powers of interference into NGOs’ internal affairs.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the EMHRN therefore calls upon the Egyptian authorities to put an end to any act of harassment against EOHR activities and ensure in all circumstances that its members are able to carry out their work freely without any hindrances, as well as to ensure that their legislation complies with international and regional human rights standards on freedom of association, including the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998.
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