Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) Director Bahiy Eddin Hassan criticized Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb saying the war against terrorism is no more than a pretext to crackdown against secular activists, journalists, independent media professionals and human rights advocates.
In a statement on Friday, Hassan that the current governmental policies indirectly helps terrorism through creating better environment to recruit Egyptians to carry out terrorist processes inside and outside of the country.
Hassan called on the government to revise its policies and described its declaration over submitting a draft agreement to the OHCHR on opening a regional office in Egypt at this time as a ‘poisoned gift’.
Hassan also indicated the independent human rights groups face unprecedented dangers in three decades, due to the fierce attack against independent rights groups through fabricating lawsuits that would lead to closure of these groups or confiscating their assets.
In a meeting on Thursday with Zeid Raad, current United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Hassan said on the sidelines of Geneva meetings that Egyptian methods by the governments will force independent rights groups to close their organizations or register according another law, which will force them work secretly or from outside Egypt.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
