Press Releases

9 March 2010

Unprecedented Report on Egypt considered at UN Rights Council: Government rejects Criticism by UN Rights Investigator

(9 March, 2010 – Geneva)   Egypt’s use of the Emergency Law to justify arbitrary detention and the use of exceptional  courts  was examined before the UN Human Rights Council yesterday in a ground-breaking report presented by Martin Scheinin, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism.   The report is the first issued by the main human rights body of the United Natio

9 March 2010

Following the Statement of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights: 14 Egyptian NGOs Demand a Halt of Migrant Killings on Israel Borders

Fourteen Egyptian human rights groups today expressed their full support of the statement issued by the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights which condemned the Egyptian security forces for killing up to 60 migrants on the Egyptian side of the borders with Israeli since mid 2007.

8 March 2010

Government failure to solve the crisis of state-funded treatment is tantamount to abandoning healthcare for the poor

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) cautioned the government that mishandling the crisis in the state-funded treatment program will lead to its abandoning its responsibility to provide medical treatment for the poor.

4 March 2010

Workshop Held by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights Examines the Challenges Facing the Realization of the Right to Health in Egypt

Challenges facing the right to health in Egypt were explored during the workshop held on Tuesday, 2 March by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR).

1 March 2010

United Nations Committee Calls Upon Egypt to Exert Greater Effort to Promote Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for Egyptian Women ...UN identifies key steps to satisfy Egypt’s international human rights obligations

Geneva—Today the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) and the Center for Reproductive Rights urged the government of Egypt to take immediate measures to implement the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), in relation to the protection of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women.

23 February 2010

Court of Administrative Justice to Issue Decision on Lawsuit Challenging Medicine Price Increases on April 27

The Cairo Court of Administrative Justice adjourned today's session examining the lawsuit filed by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) against the new drug-pricing regime until 27 April 2010, when it is due to issue a decision on the suspension of the decree. Lawsuit 2457/64 asks for a temporary stay of Minister of Health Decree 373/2009 establishing the new pricing regime as a prelude to its total abolition.

22 February 2010

Court of Administrative Justice Considers EIPR Lawsuit against the New Drug-Pricing Decree

The Cairo Court of Administrative Justice is scheduled to continue hearing tomorrow – Tuesday 23 February - a lawsuit filed by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights on 22 October 2009 challenging Minister of Health Decree 373/2009 on the pricing of drugs. The EIPR had filed the lawsuit (no.

19 February 2010

UN Rights Council Adopts Recommendations on Egypt: Government must ensure prompt implementation and reconsider rejected recommendations

Following the adoption of the UN Human Rights Council’s recommendations on Egypt, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) welcomed the fact that the government decided to accept the majority of the recommendations, including many that are related to the worst abuses committed by the government.

19 February 2010

At UN Rights Council: No Adequate Review of Economic and Social Rights in Egypt

(19 February 2010, Geneva) The UN review of Egypt's rights record has been overshadowed by the Egyptian government’s use of its diplomatic relations to limit a constructive debate, preventing real concerns from being raised while denying all human rights abuses. The Egyptian Government’s human rights record was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process on February 17th 2010.

18 February 2010

Live updates from the session adopting recommendations to the Egyptian government on the human rights situation

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) will be sending live updates from the UN Human Rights Council’s session tomorrow, 19 February, in which the recommendations of the Council’s review of the rights conditions in Egypt will be adopted.