The European Union called on Egypt to completely lift the state of emergency before the presidential election, urging the formulation of a democratic constitution that upholds human rights.
In a report issued by the European Commission in Cairo, the EU called for halting military trials of civilians and the creation of a favorable environment conducive to the work of active, independent NGOs and legislation that organizes their work in line with international standards.
In its report, which assesses the performance of Egypt in 2011, the EU called for safeguarding religious freedoms, upholding the rights of minorities and implementing economic reform programs that ensure economic stability and bolster the management of public resources to open the road to international financial assistance, including from the EU.
The report said that the continuation of the current state of political and economic uncertainty has led to little progress towards structural reform.
The report also said that Egypt has undergone tremendous change and political and economic challenges in 2011 in the aftermath of the January 2011 revolution.
The report criticized the army’s performance with regard to human rights, saying it has not measured up to ambitions and democratic standards.
The report said that security officers accused of using excessive violence in protests were not investigated and thousands of activists were haphazardly detained and brought to military trial and tortured in prisons.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
