Head of the Construction and Development Party, Mohamed Esmat al-Sadat said that National Council for Human Rights (NCHR)’s report on the human rights situation in Egypt since June 2013 accurately reflects the true circumstances on the ground.
In a statement on Tuesday, Sadat said that the report highlights the importance of NCHR as a national institution that protects freedoms and rights in Egypt, and that it has the necessary technical skills and expertise to be shelter for Egyptians in case their rights and dignity were violated. The current government and the coming parliament should consider amending the council’s law, to empower it perform in a better way.
Sadat also described the government's response to the council’s requests as "weak," as the response rate does not surpass 30 percent, which is a sign of lack of cooperation.
“One letter could mean life or death for a citizen. There should be no tolerance towards the reluctance to respond to citizens' complaints. What about ignoring 70 percent of the complaints? This is not a performance of a government after two revolutions. The President should take strict measures, forcing the government to respond to the council’s letters, in order to show the citizens their importance in the country,” Sadat said in the statement.
In its report released on Monday, NCHR said that nearly 3,850 people, including civilians, security, army officers and Muslim Brotherhood supporters, were victims of violence since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in June 2013.
The report, which blames the Muslim Brotherhood for carrying out acts of violence and sabotage, also blames the authorities for dozens of prisoner deaths, due to bad prison conditions and reported cases of torture.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
