Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

25 May 2014

Why Egypt should open its prisons**

In late April, a small group of us from Egyptian NGOs and independent movements attended the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Forum on monitoring places of detention and the prevention of torture in Beirut. The forum brings together people from across the region representing independent NGOs and movements, as well as the national offices of ombudspersons, to exchange experiences and best-practice on monitoring prisons and other detention facilities, with the aim of improving conditions and preventing torture and other ill-treatment.

The government must put an end to enforced disappearances and torture in al-Azouly Military Prison

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights and the Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture are extremely concerned by the increase in reported cases of enforced disappearance and torture targeting individuals suspected by the authorities of terrorism-related offenses.

Confirmation of the Verdict against Mahienour El-Massry: A New Episode in the Series of Incarcerating Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs)…The Verdict Must be Renunciated and the Law Needs to be Revised

The undersigned organizations and groups denounce the continuity of issuing judicial verdicts against Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) according to the violation of the Protest and Public Assembly Law, and call for the renunciation of the verdict against acti

Security Forces Raid The Egyptian Center For Economic And Social Rights, Alexandria Branch, And Sexually Harass Females

Egyptian security forces, alongside security personnel dressed in civilian attire, raided the Alexandria Branch of The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, arresting 15, including two minors, and two ECESR staff

To Anchor the Rule of law - 10 Demands on the Next President Concerning Human Rights

The undersigned organizations reiterated today that bringing political stability to Egypt requires the coming president to adopt a political and economic program that makes it a priority to restore and support the rule of law in a state that respects human rights and public liberties.

7 May 2014

Why does the Egyptian government refuse independent prison visits?

On behalf of Egyptian participants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Forum on monitoring places of detention and the prevention of torture in Beirut between 23-27 April 2014 [ Hani Mostafa, al-Nadem; Taher Mukhtar, Tahrir Doctors; Reda Marii, EIPR, and Diana Eltahawy, EIPR]

Al-Minya Mass Death Penalty: Wasted Justice and Mockery of Defendants Rights

The undersigned civil society organizations are deeply concerned about the retrial of 37 men sentenced to death and 492 to life imprisonment by Al-Minya Criminal Court.

22 Apr 2014

Even if we can cure AIDS, do we really want to?

When the Egyptian army's medical team announced it had invented two devices to detect and cure the viral infections HCV and HIV, it came under a fire of criticism from the scientific community.

The official announcement and subsequent statements by military spokespeople were fiercely ridiculed across social media platforms, but at the same time, others gave a standing ovation.

16 Apr 2014

Searching for the church of Islam

Amid the conflict currently underway in Egypt—between state authorities led by the military-backed government and the Muslim Brotherhood and their Islamist allies—another momentous battle is being waged over the country’s mosques and pulpits. Sermons, religious lessons, and charitable and development activities centered in mosques are an important sphere of influence for Islamist movements of various stripes.

Discrimination against the poor and support for the undeserving: EIPR analysis of the new conditions for the Social Housing Programme

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights issued the first in a series of short studies on the public housing programmes.