Uddrag af omtalen af programsamarbejdslandet Egypten i det amerikanske udenrigsministeriums årsrapport for 2004 om menneskerettighedernes stilling verden over
In 1999, President Hosni Mubarak was reelected unopposed to a fourth six-year term in a national referendum. The National Democratic Party, which has governed since its establishment in 1978, continues to dominate national politics and has maintained an overriding majority in the popularly elected Peoples Assembly and the partially elected Shura (Consultative) Council.
While the Government introduced some potentially significant reforms in 2003, including the establishment of a National Human Rights Council and the abolition of one type of extraordinary court, the overall human rights situation remained poor.
The Governments human rights record remained poor and many serious problems remain; however, there were improvements in a few areas.
The principal human rights problems were the continuation of the 1981 Emergency Law, trials of non-security cases in emergency courts, persistent reports of torture by police and state security officers, the use of administrative detention for indefinite periods and restrictions on religious freedom.
The U.S. human rights and democracy strategy addressed these problems and supported efforts to build a more robust civil society, promote the rule of law and encourage the growth of democratic institutions, including an independent press.
Human rights and political reform were prominent on the bilateral diplomatic agenda during the year. Senior U.S. officials lobbied their Egyptian counterparts to lift the Emergency Law and, after its renewal, sought to limit its application only to extraordinary cases involving dangerous individuals and violent, extremist organizations.
The United States also raised concerns about torture and urged the Egyptian Government to implement the recommendations of the UN Committee against Torture, which held sessions on Egypt in November 2002 in Geneva.
The United States frequently raised concerns regarding the new law on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and pressed the Government to implement it in a flexible and liberal manner, specifically drawing attention to issues of registration and foreign funding. Specific cases of nonregistration were also raised in diplomatic contexts.
Concerns about civil society development, political participation and basic political rights were also addressed in official meetings. U.S. officials met with Egyptian civil society leaders and activists to solicit their views on how the United States might use the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and other initiatives to support the reform process.
Senior U.S. officials have urged Egypt to democratize and to strengthen respect for human rights. The United States reviewed its democracy and governance programs during the year as part of a comprehensive assessment of its bilateral assistance to Egypt.
Programs in 2003 and early 2004 focused particularly on justice sector reform, citizen participation with a special emphasis on gender equality, media independence and professionalism, and responsive local governance.
The eight-year, 18,4 million dollar Administration of Justice Support (AOJS) program neared completion, promoting increased transparency and public confidence in the courts. The program used two pilot commercial courts to introduce automated, streamlined administrative processes and training for judges and court staff.
A five-year criminal justice project with the Egyptian prosecutor generals office continued and featured a high profile conference in September attended by the Minister of Justice, the Public Prosecutor, the Speaker of the Parliament and other distinguished participants.
The conference concluded with recommendations for legal reforms for which legislation is currently being developed. Under this same program, Egyptian participants visited the United States and interacted with U.S. federal judges.
A seven-year, 32,5 million dollar U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) grant continued, strengthening the institutional capacity of NGOs through assistance in the areas of internal governance, financial management, advocacy for citizens interests and participation in civic action.
This grant helped women, particularly in rural areas, obtain the basic civil records necessary to access government services, protect their legal rights, and register to vote.
In other efforts to strengthen civil society, the United States supported a conference in September that afforded 200 NGO activists from around the country a forum to address issues of institutional capacity, management and the regulatory environment.
At the event, Egypts Minister of Social Affairs publicly acknowledged, for the first time, the need for legal reforms to lessen constraints on NGOs and accord them greater freedoms.
USAID continued to implement a 5,2 million dollar experimental program to promote responsive local government by fostering new relationships between the government and citizen groups in four target communities.
Several efforts promoted greater independence and professionalism in the media. A 1 million dollar project with international partners and Egyptian journalist groups placed 15 young Egyptian journalists in internship and training programs in the United States. Another program provided training to hundreds of journalists on international professional standards for news reporting and assistance in publishing fact-based, dispassionate news stories.
The Embassy continued to administer an interagency mechanism that awarded numerous small grants totaling 600.000 dollar to support local, grassroots initiatives.
These included a regional conference on the rights of women in the Arab world, a tutoring and mentoring program for underprivileged girls, a workshop to train journalists and lawyers on human rights law and a civic education program to raise awareness of the rights of disabled citizens.
MEPI worked with a local NGO to host the first session of the Arab Womens Forum in May 2003, which will be expanded in 2004.
The Embassy urged the Government to grant due process of law to all citizens and raised specific concerns about the process for those apparently arrested because of their sexual orientation.
Concerns about the status of Egypts Christians and other religious minorities were also raised, and the Embassy maintained excellent relations with representatives of Egypts various religious communities. Embassy officers monitored some trials in cases involving human rights principles.
Kilde: Det amerikanske udenrigsministerium
