In solidarity with the pro-democracy and human rights movement of Egypt, a mission was carried out by The Euro-Mediterrenean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) in Cairo from the 9-12 February 2011, according to a press release Saturday.
“The EMHRN hails the extraordinary courage and determination of the Egyptian people, men and women alike, to win its freedom and put an end to Hosni Mubarak’s rule of the country through its peaceful and historic action supported by all strands of the population, with the young generation taking the lead”, it states.
The EMHRN honours the memory of the hundreds who lost their lives in this struggle for liberty.
The EMHRN calls on the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to stand by its promise to abide by (efterkomme) the will of the Egyptian people and start a transparent process leading to constitutional reform, free and fair Presidential and Parliamentary elections – ensuring full participation of women.
It calls on the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to immediately end thirty years of emergency rule, release all those who were arrested for peaceful action since 25 January, and ensure that perpetrators (lovovertrædere) are held accountable for the crimes during the past 18 days comprising:
* Shooting of peaceful demonstrators by police and snipers
* Attacks on demonstrators by armed militias and thugs
* Withdrawal of police protection from the streets
* Killing of prisoners
* Disinformation about foreigners and journalists by government controlled media leading to physical assaults against them and their arrests
* Arrests, incommunicado detention, ill treatment and torture of peaceful activists, including 28 national and international human rights activists
* Cutting off nationwide internet and mobile phone connections
In general, the Supreme Council should protect protesters and other activists against reprisals by security forces, take necessary steps to end torture in police security and reveal the fate of those who have disappeared. Also it should release all political prisoners.
EMHRN continues:
The first step towards transition has now been taken. Ahead lie enormous challenges of initiating and implementing the reforms the Egyptian population has yearned for; these must include the adoption of electoral laws conforming to democratic standards, adopting a new political party law, laws on association, media and information conforming to international human rights standards.
Further needed steps include dissolving the state security agencies, reforming the judiciary guaranteeing its independence; ensuring equal rights of women and men in legislation and practice, protecting the rights of refugees and migrants, bringing an end to corruption and acts of embezzlement and ensuring equal access to economic and social rights of all Egyptians.
The international community should provide maximum support to Egypt in the process towards democracy.
It should provide sustained support to freedom, justice and democracy movements in the other countries of the Middle East and North Africa seeking to follow the path of Tunisia and Egypt.
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The EMHRN mission was composed of
Wadih Ange Al Asmar (member of the EMHRN Executive Committee, and secretary general of the Lebanese Centre for Human Rights)
Jesus Nunez, mandated by ACSUR-Las Segovias and director of IECAH (Instituto de Estudios sobre Conflictos y Accion Humanitaria) (Institute of Studies on Conflicts and Humanitarian Action) (Spain);
Nejla Sammakia, human rights expert
Marc Schade-Poulsen, Executive Director, EMHRN (Copenhagen)
Yderligere oplysninger hos:
Marc Schade-Poulsen, Executive Director, EMHRN, tlf. 51 20 55 15
Henriette Irminger Sonne, Communications Officer
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) /
Tlf. 32 64 17 16 og mobil: 30 82 83 37
Web: www.euromedrights.org
