Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

25 Sep 2013

Unpacking Egypt's low education score in the Global Competitiveness Report

Last week, people have been sharing news of Egypt ranking last in the quality of primary education according to the latest Global Competitiveness Report issued by World Economic Forum. Shocked Arabic and English newspaper commentators drew particular attention to the embarrassingly low score on education, while online social network users wondered whether this figure is really true and Egypt did really rank the lowest among countries listed in this report.

EIPR issues report on Defamation of Religion Cases in Two Years of the Revolution

In a press conference held today, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights issued a new report, “Besieging Freedom of Thought : Defamation of Religion Cases in Two Years of the Revolution.” The report examines the increasing attacks on citizens who hold minority beliefs, as well as those who a

27 Aug 2013

Footnotes to a curfew

It’s the big fire.
On 28 January 2011 we watched the flames consume the NDP building, awaiting the announcement of a curfew as a mark of victory. When the army was deployed that night, it was the sign that Habib al-Adli’s state had been broken against the will of those who took to the streets and stayed there, for a day or a bit longer. That morning we saw everything: death, freedom, and the face of truth.

Unprecedented spike in scale of sectarian violence and reprisals against Copts; interim president and prime minister must protect Egyptians’ lives and property and their houses of worship

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights today renewed its warnings about the gravity of the wave of sectarian violence that has swept Egypt over the last few weeks and took a more severe turn with the dispersal of the sit-ins of supporters of the former president in Rabaa al-Adawiya and al-Na

Mubarak's Trials and Legal Status Q&A

Q: What were the charges against Mubarak?

A: The Public Prosecution has leveled official charges at Mubarak and others in four cases so far:

1. The killing of demonstrators in 2011, influence peddling and profiting from the export of gas to Israel.

Joint Press Release: Non-peaceful assembly does not justify collective punishment - Rights groups condemn lethal violence against those in sit-in and terrorist acts of the Muslim Brotherhood

The undersigned rights organizations condemn the use of excessive force yesterday by the security authorities when dispersing the sit-in by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and its supporters at Rabia al-Adawiya Square in the Cairo governorate and Nahda Square in Giza.

12 Aug 2013

The Persistence of the Police in Egypt

The fact that millions of Egyptians welcomed back the military and the police in order to depose Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood in early July has given the police a regained sense of control and authority. As such, they have returned to the streets in large numbers and, moreover, have been implicated in the shooting deaths of protestors calling for Morsi’s reinstatement.

Public Prosecution must investigate criminal failure of the police to protect the lives of demonstrators; more than 165 killed in civil clashes in 16 governorates in July

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights today asked the public prosecutor to open an independent, urgent investigation into the failure of the security forces to assume their legal duty to secure demonstrations and protect the lives of demonstrators and others.

Islamist Groups Must Stop Inciting to Sectarian Violence; Protection of Christians Responsibility of the State

The undersigned organizations express their grave concern regarding the increasing sectarian violence which has targeted Christians and their churches since the uprising of June 30. These organizations strongly condemn the rhetoric employed by leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood and their allies w

Rights groups demand dismissal of interior minister, call on Muslim Brotherhood to refrain from violence and turn over those responsible

The undersigned organizations are severely alarmed by the massacre that took place on the Nasr Road in Cairo at dawn on Saturday, July 27, after police forces attacked demonstrators supporting the Muslim Brotherhood (MB).